Choices
by nikki-of-stormhold
Summary: When Lucius Malfoy's son disappears along with other individuals, his father is left with decisions to make. What does Voldemort want with the people he is taking, and what lengths must Lucius go to to get his son back alive? Lucius/OC
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

The Cause

**This is my first HP story in a year or so, so I apologize if it is in any way factually incorrect or sloppy. I can't be bothered to read them all again….**

**Also I love Lucius Malfoy, so needless to say, Narcissa Malfoy is not around. She has just conveniently not ever been around in this story.**

**Disclaimer- I don't profess to own anything connected to Harry Potter. Except the eighth novel, which Twannee and I tirelessly wrote at camp in the summer.**

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"How many is that now?" Remus Lupin asked quietly as he walked slowly alongside Dumbledore.

"The Malfoy boy made it eight." The old wizard sounded distant, as if he were only half paying attention to Remus. The younger man seemed to notice, and sighed, placing his hands in his pockets as he walked.

Dumbledore looked across at him, turning his distracted gaze away from the night sky.

"I apologize Remus; I must admit that I am deeply troubled tonight."

"You don't need to explain yourself to me headmaster, I understand. I too fear for the boy, and indeed for all eight of them."

It was true. Lupin feared at the best of times in this dark war, but seeing Dumbledore, famous for his calm self control and gentle yet powerful presence, as distracted and fearful as himself only elevated his worry. It was like watching a pillar of strength beginning to crumble. It was true that Dumbledore was indeed the pillar, Lupin and the others being the structure that he supported. He wondered silently how much longer they could remain standing. Dumbledore broke the silence.

"Forgive me Remus. I must shake off this negativity. Where are the others?"

"They are back at the house, with the young ones."

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully, and began to lead the way back to the house.

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"How many times do I need to tell you Potter, I don't drink tea." Snape's slow sneer annoyed Harry as much out of school as it did in school. He knew very well that his potions teacher did not like tea, but delighted in finding any way possible to irritate him in the slightest.

"Harry," Lupin said softly, spotting the truth. He attempted a frown, but Harry's grin spread, causing his own to do the same.

"So you think it funny Professor?" Snape snapped at Lupin.

"Gentlemen, let's not argue over things as trivial as cups of tea," Dumbledore said from his arm chair. "Our cause, remember, requires us to remain together, our links strong. It would be a shame to ruin what we have done so far over a pot of earl grey."

Harry said nothing, but removed the cup of tea from in front of a now scowling Snape and placed it in front of his godfather instead.

"And Harry," Dumbledore added, not looking up from his newspaper, "Perhaps you could try to remember that Professor Snape is not a fan of tea?"

Harry mumbled his consent, turning towards the kitchen. He did not remember signing up for kitchen duty when he'd gone to Dumbledore over the whole affair, but he didn't really mind. He had enough respect for the old wizard to do what he asked without complaint. If the truth were told, was that not why they were all here?

A sudden occurrence caused them all to turn their attention to the front door, which had flown violently open and let a strong gust of wind in. Lupin, Sirius and Snape shot to their feet and drew their wands, standing defensively in a trio. With all eyes on the open door, a tense silence settled momentarily. When the smoke cleared, none other than Lucius Malfoy stood in the doorway.

"Potter and Weasley, get behind me," Snape growled. "Granger, behind Lupin."

Harry did as he was told, but was surprised to notice that Dumbledore sat calmly in his seat, his newspaper folded neatly in his lap.

The three men stood poised, their muscles all tensed and their wands raised in their fully extended arms.

Harry had met Lucius Malfoy only a few times, and each had been unpleasant and mildly terrifying. His reputation was equally as frightening, and was common knowledge. But tonight, standing in the doorway of the decrepit house, he did not look at all as his reputation would have him look. He looked tired and distressed, and his hands were empty, no wand. He stood still, his black cloak fluttering slightly after his apparition, his face not completely clear in the darkness. The calm, arrogant suaveness was missing from his presence.

Snape looked at him through narrowed eyes- he of all people knew Lucius, after spending so much time with the Dark Lord's people. But his expression implied that he almost did not recognize the man before him. Lupin and Sirius shared a confused glance, and still Dumbledore sat calmly in his chair. Ron shuffled sideways slightly behind Snape, his hand on his wand and his face full of contempt. Hermione stared at Dumbledore in confusion, as if awaiting some sort of instruction.

Lucius looked wearily at the three raised wands and the group of angry, confused people facing him, then looked at Dumbledore.

"I thought you might come." Everyone else in the room jerked to look at the old man, as he stared back at Lucius.

"What?" Snape snapped, not lowering his wand.

"I expected Mr. Malfoy's presence here this evening. It comes as little surprise to me." Dumbledore picked up his mug of tea and rested it on one of his knees.

"Well then perhaps you'd like to explain headmaster, because I for one would like to know why there is a notorious death eater and killer on our doorstep." Snape turned back to Lucius and clenched his teeth.

"If I am not mistaken, there is a very simple explanation for this. Am I right, Lucius?"

The blonde haired man leaned against the doorframe, having seemingly forgotten that three trained wizards were threatening him.

"Yes, very simple. He has my son."

"What?" Snape's hand dropped slightly. Lucius did not notice.

"The Dark Lord has my son."

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**Ok, so it's probably obvious that I have set this somewhere random in time, and have changed a fair few plot elements, but that's what fan fiction is all about, no? Alternatives. Reviews appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Developments

It was past midnight, and the old house on Honey Hill was as quiet- on the outside it slept along with the rest of the world, but then it did that in the daytime as well, which was why Dumbledore had chosen it. On the inside, however, no-one was asleep. Dumbledore sat in his chair having remained stationary all evening, whilst Lupin leaned wearily against the fireplace, staring into the fire thoughtfully. Snape sat in the corner in shadow, his wand still resting in his hand as he stared evenly at their guest. Sirius sat at the table with Harry, Ron and Hermione on either side of him. Lucius Malfoy now sat by the window, the curtains drawn so as not to alert anyone to their presence and to allow them to burn candles un-noticed. No-one spoke- indeed all the speaking had been done. Instead each of them entertained their thoughts as an ancient grandfather clock ticked quietly in the background. A sudden clattering at the back door, and then the sound of it opening aroused them. Snape, Sirius and Remus once again leapt to their feet and brandished wands.

"And who might this be," Snape half spat, "Voldemort himself perhaps?"

All eyes were on the kitchen door as it opened with a slight creak.

A woman stood in the doorway, a black cloak covering most of her person and a few loose strands of blonde hair protruding from her hood. She looked taken aback at the reception she'd received, and for a moment she just stood as the men lowered their wands.

"Imelda, are you crazy?" Lupin said with a slight smile, shoving his wand up his sleeve and stepping forward to hug her loosely.

"No, but what got into you guys? You're a bit edgy aren't you?"

Snape retreated to his seat, his face set and his wand remaining in his lap. Lupin ushered her in and went to check the back door, leaving Sirius to hug Imelda and take her cloak. Someone else had entered the room with her- Ginny Weasley hovered near the door, and upon spotting her friends at the table went to greet them. Lupin returned, looking confused.

"No Reuben?" he asked quietly, a look of concern creeping across his face.

Imelda looked at him, her face implying that what she had to say would have to wait. She greeted Dumbledore, and scooped her blonde hair up into a long pony tail. Lupin sat back down next to the fire, as Imelda moved to the only vacant chair in the room.

"Well I am totally exhausted….." she trailed off as she noticed the extra presence in the room. She could only really see his feet, as the rest of him was mostly in shadow. The candle had gone out in the corner where he sat. She blinked. Sirius looked across at Snape and raised an eyebrow, and Snape frowned back.

"That had better not be who I think it is." Imelda's voice quivered slightly as she shot to her feet and grabbed a candle from the table. She swung around to face the window, as Lucius Malfoy stepped forward out of the shadow.

"You," She hissed.

"Harry, I think it's time you four retired. It is late. Your rooms are ready, up the stairs and to the left."

Dumbledore's voice was quiet, and Harry knew better than to argue. Sirius stood up and pushed his chair in under the table, offering to see them up, and closed the door behind them. Imelda had not moved, and Lucius stared at the floor.

"Imelda, you must…."

There was a cracking sound as a mug on the table fell into several pieces, then shattered completely. Lupin winced, and Snape sat forward slightly.

"Control yourself Imelda, we must not go around breaking crockery when we are displeased," he sneered.

"Shut it Snape, what do you need with mugs when you don't even like tea!" her voice was very unsteady, and her fists clenched by her sides.

"So it is true then." Lucius had not spoken for a while, and his voice sounded husky, with a hint of amusement, or wonder. It was hard to tell which.

"What is?" Snape snapped.

"You have got a witch from the east on your side."

Lucius now looked at Imelda's face. He'd witnessed the mug breaking, but she had not touched it, nor been anywhere near it. And unlike the others she had not reached for her wand. She did not even seem to have one on her.

"Why is he still alive?" Imelda demanded, facing Dumbledore, who had gotten to his feet. "How can he be in here with four of you, plus the kids, and he is still alive? What is this, a tea party with the devil? Have you invited with Voldemort as well? Bellatrix on her way is she?" A painting behind them fell off of the wall and the glass smashed.

"Have you lost your minds?"

"Calm down, Mel," Sirius said quietly as he re-entered the room and closed the door. "Let us explain."

She breathed deeply, not looking at him.

"How can you ask me to stand in the same room as him, and take no action?" she half whispered. "He killed… he has…"

Dumbledore's arm on her shoulder calmed her, and she leaned back against the table.

"Have I ever given you cause to mistrust me?" he said, his hand still on her shoulder. There was kindness and understanding in his voice. She shook her head silently.

"Then I must ask you to trust me now, and to let us explain."

After a moment, she nodded, and Dumbledore strode slowly to the fireplace.

"You-sit," Snape growled, and Lucius Malfoy clenched his jaw as he sat back down.

"In your absence, the seven that were taken have become eight," Dumbledore began. He too stared into the flames, as if he thought they would reveal to him something that he had lost.

"The eight being none other than Draco Malfoy."

Imelda's head snapped up. She glanced at Dumbledore, then at Lucius. He stared at the floor, but looked like he was going to be sick.

"It is believed that the eight that have been taken are not necessarily important to the Dark Lord, but that they have been taken as some sort of… punishment to those left behind."

Imelda narrowed her eyes.

"Well what's so strange about that?"

"It is strange because nothing has been heard of them since they disappeared. They have not turned up dead, nor have there been any rumours or reports, above and below ground, of their whereabouts. And there's more. The Dark Lord has gone quiet. There has been very little movement from his known associates, and Azkaban has gone… silent."

Lupin wore the same troubled expression as his eyes searched the flames beside Dumbledore.

"What do you mean?" Imelda half whispered.

"We believe, from what Mr. Malfoy has told us, that the Dark Lord is displeased with his followers- in light of recent events as several of his plans to recruit have failed, and as a result he is changing his tactics entirely. He has gone underground himself, and has taken a very select few with him. The eight included."

"But what does he want with Draco?" Imelda asked, noticing Lucius flinch at the sound of his son's name.

"I failed him twice," Lucius murmured. "He is angry with me, and has taken Dra….. My son, to punish me."

Imelda frowned.

"So are you saying that he needs these people for something?"

"No, more that he specifically wants them for something."

"Well, what for?"

"That," Dumbledore said turning around to face the room, "Is what we are here to find out."

"Why don't we go to bed, and we'll discuss this further in the morning?" Sirius stood up and looked at the clock.

"You expect me to sleep here with a deatheater in the house? I trust you, headmaster, but I can never trust him." Imelda pulled her robes tighter around herself and looked away.

"Lucius has opted to join us now, Imelda, and I, along with the rest of us, have chosen to accept him. He has vital information, that could save the lives of those that are missing, and indeed of those who remain. I do not ask you to trust him, but to accept him professionally."

"You needn't worry," Lucius said quietly, "I could not stay here tonight."

"Not quite the manor, is it?" she said sarcastically.

He said nothing.

" Mel," Lupin asked, turning to face her.

"What about Reuben?"

"She is on her way, but she had something to take care of in…" she glanced at Lucius briefly, "…in the east."

Lupin looked worried.

"Don't worry, she'll be here by the morning. Early hours I should think. You can have the kettle on for her, ready and waiting with a cup of tea. You know how she loves her tea." She smiled wearily, and Lupin chuckled, also tired.

"I can if you stop smashing our mugs with your mind." Sirius laughed too, Dumbledore chuckled to himself and even Snape managed a half smile.

"You picked up the Weasley girl OK then?" Sirius asked, snuffing out a candle.

"Yes, she was waiting for me. I do think we should explain though, this must be weird for them. They are so young."

"And so we shall, in the morning. They have a right to know what they are entering into. But now, let us rest. It has been a long day." They all stood up ready for sleep- one less in the room. Lucius Malfoy had gone.

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**Reviews welcome.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Explanations

"Morning," Sirius said pleasantly as he entered the kitchen, whistling a happy tune.

"Hey," Imelda said, not turning away from the washing up. "I understand that men are not very good at housework, but I think you guys had a real cheek last night telling me off for breaking that mug when every other mug in the place was going mouldy in the sink."

A familiar chuckle sounded behind Sirius as Dumbledore entered the kitchen too.

"As you said, my dear, with all these men together in one house, little else could really be expected. It was not fair that the task fell upon Miss Granger."

Imelda was about to make a passionate comment concerning chauvinism when she saw the twinkle in the old man's eyes, and spotted that he was pulling her leg. She shook her head and smiled. It was good to be back with those she held dear again.

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"Did you see her though?" Ron asked incredulously.

"Well yeah I was there too, Ronald." Hermione folded her bedspread neatly and perched on the end of her bed.

"We all know how much of a piece of work Malfoy's dad is, I'm not surprised she reacted like that."

"No," Ron said, exasperated. "That's not what I was getting at. She did it without a wand. Who do you know that can do stuff like that without a wand?"

Hermione nodded, as did Harry.

"Yeah, I noticed that. I was going to ask Sirius last night when we came up to bed but he didn't seem in the mood. What's with her?"

"Well I couldn't sleep in the night, and then I remembered something I'd read in one of Hermione's unnecessary extra books that she hit me with once."

"You can read?" Hermione said, in mock surprise.

Ron ignored her and continued.

"It was about a group of witched and wizards that are from a place called 'the East.' They are famous for being able to do magic without using a wand. They use their minds, or something."

"Well they can't be that famous, I have never even heard of them," Hermione mused.

"The east of where?" Harry asked.

"It didn't say."

"It didn't say because nobody knows." A voice at the bedroom door halted the conversation. Imelda stood there, leaning against the door frame with an amused smile. Her arms were folded, her blonde hair cascading over her shoulders. She looked at each of them individually, then straightened up and strode slowly into the room.

"The East can only be found by those who were born into or trained to a very high standard in Eastern magic. That, as Ron correctly identified, is not very many people. Despite its name, the East has nothing to do with our geographical east, nor is it east of anywhere. That is all I shall say."

Hermione looked mystified.

"So it is true? Lucius Malfoy was right? We have an Eastern witch on 'our side' as it were?"

She looked away.

"Well I'm certainly not on his side."

"What happened with you two? Nobody likes the man but you seem to have a particular… dislike for him." Harry sat back on his bed. Something about Imelda captivated him, and he noticed that Ron and Hermione were under the same 'spell.'

There was a short silence, during which Imelda clasped her hands in her lap. Eventually she looked up and stared at the wall evenly.

"He killed one of our family. He's a deatheater, and she happened to cross his path. It was that simple."

Another pause.

"Sorry," Harry mumbled.

"Why are you sorry? You've done nothing wrong." She stood up and walked to the door.

"You must all be wondering what is going on, no?" she asked, turning to face them. Upon receiving three nods, her face softened.

"Well we are gathering together downstairs in half an hour to explain a few things to you. Where is Ginny?"

"Oh, she went for a shower. We'll tell her."

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"Reuben!" Lupin's cry of delight could be heard throughout the house as he clattered out of the back door to greet her.

"I think Miss Erwin has just arrived," Snape remarked sarcastically, not looking up from his book, his reading glasses perched stubbornly on his nose. Sirius got up and strode through to the kitchen, colliding with Imelda as she too ran to greet the newcomer.

"Remus, you can put her down now," Sirius chuckled, moving forward to take over the hugging as Lupin stepped back. There was a noticeable beam in place of the worried frown he had worn for a few days.

"Reuben!" Imelda said, a strange kind of relief present in her voice as she stepped forward and put her arms around her friend.

"Ok, personal space issues here," Reuben laughed, attempting for the third time to make it though the back door. She was ushered into the living room, where Snape glanced up over his reading glasses from his book.

"You made it then," he said awkwardly.

"Seems I did," she replied. "Where's my tea Remus?" He chuckled, tearing his eyes from her face so as to allow himself to retreat to the kitchen. Reuben removed her cloak, which Sirius took from her and hung up in the hall.

"Are the four young ones here?" she asked quietly, receiving a nod from Imelda.

"Do they know why yet?"

"No, we were just about to tell them. Have you got it with you?"

Reuben reached inside of her robes, and pulled out a scrap of paper. Unfolding it, she handed it to Imelda, and Snape got to his feet to read it over her shoulder.

"It's the real deal?" Imelda asked.

"It is," Snape replied gravely.

"That is unmistakably the Dark Lord's script."

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Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny sat side by side on the old sofa, all looking up at Dumbledore. He held in his hands a scrap of paper, old looking, with a dark scrawl on it. It looked like a list.

"There is a time and a place for most things," Dumbledore began. "And although this is not the time to tell you everything, I and the others feel that this is the time to tell you at least what you are doing here with us in this abandoned old house."

Harry identified something alarming in his headmaster's voice.

"You all know of the eight witches and wizards that have been taken by the Dark Lord recently, the most recent being Draco Malfoy. Although we are not sure yet why it is that the Dark Lord has taken them, we are concerned for the welfare of those that are missing. It is my duty to inform you all, that we are concerned also for the welfare of you four. You see, this list, composed by Voldemort himself, contains the names of all those that he has taken so far."

He paused, looking down at the piece of paper he held.

"It also contains the names of those that we believe he plans to take," he looked back up at them, "And yours are among them."

There was a short silence.

"We have brought you here in an effort to keep you safe, and out of the Dark Lord's reach, but I must ask you all now to assist us in every way that you can. Although it is technically your choice, I advise you not to leave the house without at least one of us being present with you, and to make no contact with anyone outside of the house."

The older witches and wizards watched as the headmaster delivered his explanation, each of them seeing the fear and worry creep into the faces of their students. Sirius winked encouragingly at his godson, whilst Snape attempted a reassuring look. Lupin squeezed Reuben's shoulder, and she smiled up at him in return. Imelda smiled at Hermione and Ginny as the head master finished what he was saying. They had all of them made a vow to aid Dumbledore in protecting the young four, and now more than ever, they intended to stick to it.

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	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Discoveries

Imelda strolled slowly along the garden path. Dumbledore had chosen the house because it had been deserted for years, and looked that way on the outside. On the inside they had managed to make it look lived in, and it was comfortable and even homely. But it was beginning to become stifling. Harry and his friends felt the same, but knew better than to do anything about it. Imelda, however, had absconded to the garden. It was overgrown and out of control, but the path was just about visible. There was an old looking fountain in the middle of the lawn, but it hadn't worked in a long time, and was covered in moss. Thick hedges lined the garden, and a wall ran around the outside of it. An oak tree stood tall in the centre of the garden, shedding its leaves in the autumn breeze. Imelda sat down heavily on a stone bench, watching a tiny bird collect twigs from under the hedge. It was having trouble with a twig that it did not realize was still attached to the hedge. Imelda smiled, and waved her hand absentmindedly. The twig broke off as a result, and the tiny bird was happy as it flew away carrying it.

"What are you doing out here?" His voice sent shivers down Imelda's spine. She'd hoped he wouldn't come back, that he'd get the message and stick with Voldemort, leave them alone. But evidently not.

"Where are you?" she growled. Lucius Malfoy emerged from behind the hedge, his black cloak blowing around him in the autumn breeze. His blonde hair fluttered out of his hood, rather like her own tended to.

"Why are you here?" she muttered. Dumbledore had spoken to her about him, and she knew that she must accept him into the 'team,' for the sake of the young ones and those that were missing. And although she hated to admit it, looking at him now she knew that she had no reason to mistrust him. Losing Draco had evidently changed him, had stirred any good in him to overpower the evil, but the past made it difficult to believe that he had any good in him.

"You know why I'm here. I want my son back."

"So you have absolutely no regard for those that are in danger apart from Draco?" she spat.

He looked at the tree, spotting the tiny bird, who was now weaving the twig into its nest.

"Before, I wouldn't have. But now…."

"But now what?" she demanded relentlessly.

He sighed and let his hood down.

"Now I think differently. Now I see the Dark Lord for what he is."

Imelda laughed incredulously and jumped up.

"So you expect me to believe that you have had some kind of miraculous turn around, because your son got what you deserved?"

She watched as the pain shot across his face.

"You don't care about anyone but yourself. What's this really about? How do we know that you are not spying for him, that this isn't all a set up? Maybe you are sick enough to make this whole thing up. Perhaps Draco is not really missing at all. Dumbledore might be blind to it but I know who you really are."

The bird flew away, frightened by Imelda's outburst.

"You are a death eater," She whispered menacingly. "And you killed Arabella."

"What?" his head snapped up, causing his long blonde hair to fall across part of his face.

"Arabella Beaumont. My cousin. You murdered her because your precious Dark Lord told you to." She turned away and began to walk back to the house. Dumbledore was asking too much of her. She could not even look at him without wanting to strangle him. Why were they all so quick to accept him? They knew him, didn't they?

"Mel," Reuben bumped into her and stopped her in her tracks. Imelda tried to wipe her face clean of tears but her friend had already seen. Reuben looked over Imelda's shoulder and spotted Lucius Malfoy lurking by the oak tree. He looked harassed.

"Is this about Arabella?" Reuben asked gently. Imelda nodded and tried to push past her into the house, but Reuben stopped her again.

"Mel, I need to tell you something. Will you come sit down with me?" she gestured toward the oak tree, and Imelda hesitated.

"I know you don't trust him, but you trust me, don't you?"

After more hesitation, she nodded and followed her friend to the bench once more.

"No, stay," Reuben said to Lucius, as he went to walk away.

"This concerns you." She and Imelda sat down on the bench, and Lucius leaned against the oak tree.

"Imelda, I found something out whilst I was in the East. There was chatter in the courts- they made some discoveries. And one was… about Arabella."

Imelda glanced at Lucius, who was watching Reuben.

"What about her?" Mel asked quietly.

"About her death. She was killed…."

"Yeah I know Reuben, by HIM," Mel snapped and jerked her head in Lucius's direction. Lucius looked down at the leaf scattered ground.

"Er, actually, Mel, that's what they discovered. He didn't kill her. She is still alive."

"What?"

"Arabella Beaumont is one of the Dark Lord's top three. She's not dead, she never was. And I didn't… kill her." Lucius looked up to the sky.

Mel looked confused.

"But all the reports, the Eastern Courts were sure that…."

"The Dark Lord has my son, and whether you believe me or not, I came to try to help you, because that is the only way I can get him back. You have Eastern Witches in your side, but so does he. This Arabella you are so fond of? She is responsible for my son's disappearance. If the truth be told, I wish your accusations were true. Then he might still be with me." Lucius pulled his hood up once more and turned around sharply. He strode towards the house, leaving Reuben and Mel alone on the bench.

"But…." Mel was stunned. "She was my cousin….I would have known."

Reuben shook her head.

"No you wouldn't. The Dark Lord is very clever in how he corrupts those he wants, and after all the trouble she's had in the East in the past few years, I don't think Arabella took much convincing. But he's right. She lured Draco to the Dark Lord, and she's gone underground with him."

There was a pause. It was a lot to take in. It also explained why they had never found her cousin's body. Suddenly Imelda felt bad. Something in the way he'd spoken had convinced her, and the look in his eyes would have done so if he had not spoken at all. He really was telling the truth then. It was even possible that he had changed his ways.

"You should go talk to him, Mel. We can't afford to have weak links, we all need to pull together if we are to survive what is ahead. Look at what sacrifices have already been made. And besides, everyone deserves a second chance, don't they?" as Reuben smiled her eyes twinkled, and she got up to leave.

"Must dash, I promised Remus that I'd teach him to play chess as we do in the East." She grinned again and left Imelda alone to her thoughts.

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Imelda stood in the hallway of the house, alone. Everyone had retreated, it seemed, to the garden. Dumbledore was anxious that the kids should not feel imprisoned, and that was becoming difficult with them being shut away in the house all the time. She continued cautiously to the front room, and peered around the door. He was alone.

"Hey," she said quietly. She'd expected him to jump, but he didn't. He stood by the fireplace, leaning against it with his back to her.

"Hello," he said huskily.

"I er… I had no idea you know." She walked into the room, wringing her hands.

"I guessed, you seemed quite sure in your anger."

He still did not look up, or even move.

"I don't blame you," he added. "I know my reputation, and I admit that it is justified."

He stood up straight and turned around slowly.

"But that does not mean that I live without regret."

Imelda closed her eyes and sat down heavily in Dumbledore's arm chair.

"I realize that now. And I… I am sorry for what I said. I know you are on our side, and I want to trust you, but I think it will take time."

"As I expected. I shall try not to make it any harder for you. But you know, all I want is my son back. Whatever I have done, he does not deserve to be punished for it." That look was back in his eyes. Panic, fear and despair.

She nodded.

"I know. Dumbledore is right- if we all work together, we are stronger than the Dark Lord could ever be. Even with his… new addition from the East."

Lucius strode forward and attempted a smile. He held out his hand and looked at her.

"So we agree to try then?" he said.

Imelda looked at his hand, then placed her own in it. It was cold, but he squeezed her hand as she nodded.

"We agree."

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	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Chinese

"Wait a minute," Reuben said, flustered. "I can't listen to all of you at once."

The list had gotten longer, and they'd given up trying to memorize it.

"Professor Snape, what will you have to eat?"

Snape looked up from his thick volume on rare ingredients and peered over the top of his glasses.

"I am not familiar with the menu," he said, aware that everyone was looking at him.

"Well I can personally recommend the crispy duck," Reuben said, throwing a menu at him. "And the Kung Po chicken is OK as well."

Snape looked back at her blankly.

"Whatever, I'll have whatever."

"Severus Snape will you lighten up and give me an answer. Like it or not we are all going to be stuck together until we sort this fine mess of a war out. The least you could do to make it a little easier is to tell me what you would like from the Chinese takeaway."

Snape's book fell off his lap with a loud thud, adding a nice ending to Reuben's speech.

"I will have some….noodles."

Reuben sighed impatiently.

"What kind?"

"I… didn't know there were other kinds. A noodle is a noodle, is it not?"

Reuben turned on her heel and headed for the door.

"Chicken chow Mein it is then. Come on Remus, we are going to need to allow plenty of time for them to cook this lot." With that she and Lupin left the house with the list of orders, heading for the nearby town and its Chinese takeaway.

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"Er, headmaster…. That's not how you're supposed to eat them…." Hermione winced as Dumbledore speared a chicken ball violently and attempted to fit the whole thing into his mouth at once.

"It isn't? Well I thought it was a rather peculiar shape. How is it done then?"

Hermione and Ron set about teaching Dumbledore how to use chop sticks, then decided it was not worth the effort and fetched him a fork. Sirius sat opposite Harry, and they shared a large plate of rice and an oriental curry type dish. Ginny was happily tucking into fish and chips, having informed them all of her inherent dislike of Chinese food, and Snape sat with a tub of chicken noodles on his lap, staring at it suspiciously.

"But it's in a tub," he said.

"Yes, well then take the lid off of the tub and take the noodles out, genius." Reuben passed him a plate and a fork, and he began to scoop the noodles out onto the plate.

Reuben and Lupin sat side by side at the table, sharing crispy duck and rice, and giggling about the mess they were making.

Imelda was quietly observing the whole room, whilst attempting to remove the lid of the ketchup bottle. It wouldn't budge.

"Can I do that?" Lucius asked, making her jump. She hadn't seen him creep up like that.

"Er… if you would."

She passed him the bottle and he cracked the top off easily, handing it back to her.

"It's an old habit of mine," she said, smiling slightly as she took it. "It's rather common I know, dousing everything in ketchup, but I've done it since I was a child."

Lucius smiled too.

"Draco does it too. When his mother was alive, she hated it. She's tell him off, then me for giving him the bottle, but I'd do it anyway. It got him to eat his vegetables, I don't know what her problem was. He's carried it on ever since….." His smile changed to sadness and he trailed off.

Imelda laid a hand very gently on his forearm.

"We'll find him," she said, "I promise."

He nodded, and a cry from Dumbledore interrupted them. It seemed that a chicken ball had flown across the room and hit Snape's forehead. He looked about ready to shred the chicken ball and Dumbledore too, but calmed himself before he could.

"I'm terribly sorry Severus," Dumbledore fussed. "It's my arthritis, you see. Quite a problem sometimes."

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"Stop it!" Reuben slapped Remus with a wet tea towel, wiping the fairy liquid bubbles from her chin where he'd deposited them. They could very easily have washed up and cleaned using magic, but they had all agreed that it would provide something to do if they were to do it themselves, and prevent them all from getting under each other's feet all the time. Lupin rubbed his arm where the wet towel had caught him, and grinned at Reuben. They had washed everything up between them, but Remus's efforts at drying were not brilliant. Reuben turned to put something away and Lupin caught her.

"What?" she said, looking slightly up at him.

"I just…. It's so good to have you back," he said, coloring slightly. She looked a little embarrassed too, but wound her arms around him and hugged him nonetheless.

"It's good to be back. I missed you all, the East is not a nice place to be right now with all these revelations about the Dark Lord coming to light, but I missed you especially."

Their hug lasted longer than either of them had intended it to, but neither complained.

Imelda watched with a smile from the doorway, un-noticed. She was happy for her friends- she'd watched Remus pine for Reuben before, and always she loved it when they were re-united.

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"What's going on?" Imelda asked, striding into the living room. The kids had gone up to bed, but the adult witches and wizards sat around the living room and were looking intently at the fire.

"We just had word from one of our scouts In London," Dumbledore said quietly. "He thinks he just saw Draco, with Arabella Beaumont."

She looked for Lucius in the room, and spotted him next to the fire, staring into it desperately as if he thought he might spot his son there if he looked hard enough.

"Tomorrow we shall follow this up. It is hope for all of us- if we find Draco we find the rest of them, and we also discover what the Dark Lord's plans are. It is our best lead yet."

Imelda shook her head.

"With all due respect headmaster, I think we should follow it up now. By the morning they could be anywhere."

A series of murmurs of agreement sounded in the room, and Dumbledore pondered.

"Yes, you are right. We shall send three- that way there are four of us left here, one to protect each of the children."

"I'm going," Lucius said matter of factly, and strode toward the hall to retrieve his cloak.

"I thought you might say that," Dumbledore said, looking around the room.

"I'll go too," Imelda said, pulling on her cloak.

"As will I." Sirius was the third to stand up and collect his cloak.

"Now, where did you say they were seen?"

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	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Confrontation

Three dark figures moved cautiously in a triangular formation, looking around them as they went. Not that they could see much, but every other sense worked over time to compensate. The London backstreet was silent and dingy. It was dark and damp, and smelled peculiar- not even the sliver of moon that hung half heartedly in the sky saw fit to shine over it. There had been evil here, all three of them could sense it, but no-one spoke. Sirius led the trio, his wand out and raised as he crept deeper into the alley. Lucius backed him on the left, and Imelda on the right. Lucius's wand was also raised, but Imelda held nothing, and instead curled her fingers instinctively ready to hurl the same kind of magic that a wand could at any unwelcome company. Every muscle in each of their bodies tensed as they breathed deeply and continued to move forward. A tapping sound caused Sirius and Lucius to move edge their wands out a little further, and became gradually louder until a fourth dark figure stood before them. It was obvious that it was a woman- her small frame and delicate laugh gave her away, a laugh that turned Imelda's blood cold. It was such a familiar laugh, one that had once thrilled those who heard it, and encouraged them to laugh too. But now it was filled with an inhuman coldness, an evil that contaminated anything good that had ever been present in it, and it chilled Imelda to her core. It must have done the same to Sirius, as he shivered involuntarily. The figure stepped forward and let down her hood.

"Hello cousin," she said, sickly sweet. "Did you miss me?"

Imelda's hand flew up and a yellow-white ball of light began to form between her fingers. Sirius was just quick enough to stop her from attacking the woman. Arabella giggled again, clapping her hands together like a child.

"She's still got it!" she said gleefully.

"Don't," Sirius warned, lowering Imelda's stiffened arm. "If you kill her we don't find Draco."

"Ah yes, Draco Malfoy. Nice lad- if you know how to…handle him." She extended an arm, and from her hand dangled a wristwatch.

"That is my son's," Lucius stepped forward, but heeded Sirius's warning to Imelda. With every bit of effort he possessed he lowered his wand slightly, clenched his jaw and stood still.

"Oh, so daddy Malfoy has switched sides," Arabella said, a look of genuine surprise and shock crossing her dark, menacing features as she spotted the blonde haired man for the first time.

"Well the Dark Lord will be pleased to hear that, won't he? It might just cause him to alter Draco's accommodation," she said with a sickening smile.

"Where is he?" Lucius growled, gripping his wand so that his knuckles turned white.

"Oh come on, daddy Malfoy, you don't expect me to just tell you, do you?" she said gleefully.

"What happened to you Arabella?" Imelda asked sadly.

The darker woman turned to her and narrowed her eyes.

"Maybe, Imelda, I got sick of sitting next to you and watching as everyone cooed over you, and ignored me. In the eyes of the court, you could do no wrong. In our family's eyes, you could do no wrong. In everyone's eyes you were the perfect little princess Imelda, butter wouldn't melt. I got sick of hearing your name. Imelda's name goes up in lights again and I am pushed to the back, your skills in the spotlight and mine forgotten. But the Dark Lord sees my talent, and has a use for it."

"And what's that then?" Imelda said carefully.

"Nice try. You know, I always thought you were actually quite dumb. I don't know why they think so much of you in the East." Arabella gave a smug smirk.

"Maybe because I'm better than you," Imelda smirked back, causing Arabella's smirk to vanish.

"I will ask you only once, Arabella. Where is the boy?"

Arabella put her hands on her hips like a child playing the part of an adult and bounced slightly.

"Not saying," she said musically.

Imelda felt Lucius tense further beside her and wondered how much more he could take. He could kill Arabella in an instant, but he didn't know Eastern magic. Arabella's skill had never been as great as Imelda's but her speed had always been impeccable.

In being re-united with her cousin, Imelda had not noticed Sirius slip away quietly into the dark corners of the alley, and into a connecting backstreet. It seemed that Arabella had not noticed either, being far too fixated with her new found power and its use in taunting someone that she so resented.

"Aren't you going to do it then?" another voice behind her made Imelda jump. Bellatrix Lestrange stood a few meters away, blocking them into the alley. Her wand dangled carelessly from her fingertips, her other hand resting on her waist.

"You've got her where you've always wanted her. Go on, do it." Imelda looked from Bellatrix to Arabella and realized the terrible truth of the situation. She looked at Lucius helplessly. He looked back, his face set and his jaw rigid. Arabella raised a hand and laughed.

"Oh the Dark Lord will be pleased with me, removing their Eastern witch and their newest recruit in one blow." Both Bella's laughed manically, as Lucius and Imelda moved closer to each other, until eventually they stood side by side.

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Sirius moved silently along the alley, until he eventually heard what he'd been waiting to hear. The low whimper came from just ahead, and as he continued Dumbledore's words rang in his mind.

_They'll most likely leave the boy to come after you, so look for him in the surrounding streets and back alleys. _

And they had. She really wasn't very clever, that Arabella- she had not even noticed him slip away. He hoped that Imelda was OK, but she had Lucius with her, and however hard he found it to trust the man- they all did- he knew he would do anything for his son, and that meant protecting Imelda too.

Finally he found the breakthrough they had all been waiting for, and the source of the whimpering. Draco Malfoy lay in the corner of the alley, huddled up and shaking violently. He was leaning against the wall, his knees tucked up to his chest and his hands gripping his ankle. He shook and sobbed quietly, starting as he saw Sirius.

"It's OK," Sirius said gently, edging forward slowly so as not to frighten him.

"I'm here with a friend, and your father. Dumbledore sent us. It's OK." He got closer to the boy and knelt down. He had never seen a child look so frightened. Draco was normally pale but in the faint moonlight he looked ghostly. His face was red and dirty, and he gripped his ankle for all it was worth.

"Your leg- can you stand?"

Draco shook his head.

"Bellatrix broke my ankle so that I couldn't run," he gasped. "She waved her wand and it just cracked. It's so painful." His head lolled back against the grimy wall, and Sirius knew that he had to act fast. The boy was weak and cold, and the pain was becoming too much. Stooping lower he pulled Draco's arm around his neck and heaved him on to his feet.

"Glad I ate that Chinese," he muttered. "Give's a man muscle."

"Did you say my father was here?" Draco whispered, only semi-conscious.

"I did, and you will see him very soon."

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Imelda knelt on all fours on the damp alley ground, trying to conjure the strength to get up. Arabella stood over her, and was laughing. Bellatrix rolled her eyes and stepped forward.

"Get on with it then, we've got to get the boy back to the Dark Lord."

Arabella sighed and raised her hand once more, but did not anticipate Imelda's next move. She sprang to her feet using every ounce of strength she could find, and knocked Arabella off of her feet. She hit her head on the solid alley wall and fell into a crumpled heap on the floor. Bellatrix looked outraged, and stepped forward to finish what Arabella could not accomplish in her now unconscious state. She did not, however, anticipate Lucius's Malfoy getting in her way. A bolt of something powerful and strong hit her square in the stomach and she too hit the alley wall, as Lucius pulled Imelda to her feet. She swayed and grabbed his cloak to stop herself from falling down again, and he wrapped an arm around her, his wand still raised in his other arm.

"Try to stay awake a little longer," he almost pleaded, seeing her eyes glaze over. "Hold onto me- whatever you do, hold onto me."

She did, gripping his robes for all she was worth, and leaning slightly on the arm that held her up. There was a lot of noise- like wind blowing around them, and then lights everywhere. And then nothing.

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Lucius stood by the window in the small bedroom at the top of the house. Imelda lay on the bed, sleeping quietly. She was fine, Reuben had informed them- it turned out that Arabella was not the witch she thought she was, and had confused a deadly spell for one that simply put its victim into a state of deep unconsciousness. No doubt she'd gotten a few bruises- there had been some interjections from Bellatrix and she'd hit the wall a few times, but ultimately she'd be OK. He himself felt a deep ache, as Arabella had sent a few bolts of something his way, but apart from that they had both been extremely lucky. He looked down at her in her silent sleep. She had risked a lot in the alley, and had not thought once about herself. He wished he could have done more, gotten them away sooner- but Bellatrix was unpredictable and Arabella was a dangerous fool. He hoped that when she woke up she would understand, and even dared to hope that she might change her mind about him.

The other side of the hallway, his son slept equally as quietly. Lucius moved to stand at his bedside, sitting down slowly on the chair that stood there. He ran his hand very gently along his son's forehead, and down the side of his face. He looked so vulnerable. He could not bear to think of him lying on cold wet floors, shivering and crying for his father. He could not think about his ankle breaking- it made him want to be sick. That woman, standing over him and laughing as his bones cracked. He could not stand it. Snape had fixed the leg, and sent Draco off to sleep with some potion or other- he did not want him to have to suffer the re-forming and mending process as well.

"What kind of father am I?" he whispered, feeling for the first time in ten years as if he could quite easily cry.

"A changed one," said a soft voice from the door. He turned in his chair, his son's hand grasped in his own.

Imelda stood in the doorway, sleep in her eyes and her robes crinkled from her rather unconventional nap. She moved forward to stand beside him, watching the young boy sleep.

"Will he be OK?" she asked groggily.

"He will," Lucius said, looking back at his son.

"It ends here Lucius," Imelda said quietly. "If you want it to."

He nodded, then looked up at her.

"I want it more than anything. It ends today."

They smiled at each other, and Imelda placed a hand softly on his shoulder.

"You will never regret it."

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	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Mistakes

Reuben stormed past Imelda as she stood at the sink in the kitchen. She banged the draining board hard with her fist, making her friend jump. Lucius Malfoy, who sat at the table also looked up in surprise.

"Is everything OK?" Imelda asked in concern.

"It's Remus. We are… fighting again."

As if to prove her point for her, Remus walked past the kitchen window scowling, his fists tucked tightly in his pockets.

"But you have been getting on so well!" Imelda said, confused.

"What on earth is this all about?"

Reuben looked as if she were going to say something, but closed her mouth again and sighed.

"It's nothing, don't worry." She opened the back door and headed out into the garden, leaving Imelda slightly stunned. She turned around and spotted Lucius, who looked as confused as she felt.

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"You're not going," Remus said sternly.

"Oh shut up Lupin," Reuben said angrily. "Like you will stop me. I don't need you to tell me what to do."

Snape stood by the door, his cloak around his shoulders and his wand safely by his side. He looked impatient and intolerant, glancing disdainfully at Lupin.

"She's an adult, Lupin, she can make her own decisions."

Lupin swung around and glared at Snape.

"Have you thought of the implications of this?" he snapped. "She could get hurt."

"So are you saying that we should never let Reuben or Imelda out in case they get hurt?" Snape sneered. "May I remind you that Imelda was injured only yesterday and you did not seem overly concerned then."

Lupin scowled and refused to move so that Reuben could get past him.

"You know I was Snape, you're talking rubbish. Tell me that this is not about you getting Reuben alone and away from me."

Silence fell in the front room as Reuben looked from Snape to Lupin and back again.

"Remus…." She began, but Snape cut her off.

"Have you noticed, Remus, that Reuben does not seem particularly adverse to accompanying me? Let us examine who it is that has the problem here." A satisfied smugness surrounded Snape as he folded his arms.

Lupin looked tired and fed up, but Reuben thought she spotted something else in his face- hurt, or fear, perhaps. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and his hair was untidy.

"Let's do the mature thing, and ask Reuben." Snape turned to her and waited.

She stepped forward and slightly to the left of Lupin.

"I want to go," she said quietly. "I need to do something to help, Remus."

He looked at her for a long time, a crushed expression settling on his face. He then dropped his arms and stepped back.

"Fine, I hope you have a lovely time." With that he left the room, striding angrily.

"You can get that look off your face," Reuben snapped. "I'm not going with you so you can get one up on him, nor am I going to submit to your romantic advances, any more than I did six years ago. I'm going because a child's life is in danger."

She stormed past Snape into the hall, brushing Snape and grabbing her cloak with more force than she needed to.

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"You OK?" Mel asked Lupin as he sat on the bottom stair with his head in his hands. She sat down beside him, rather awkwardly.

"No," he answered shortly.

"Is this about Reuben?"

He nodded, not looking up. His messy mop of hair fell over his face.

"Mate, it might help if you explain."

He sighed agitatedly and sat up.

"We got an anonymous tip concerning the whereabouts of one of the seven still missing. She went to follow it up with _Snape_." He spat the man's name.

"Is there something between them?"

Lupin flinched.

"No, well, I don't know. Six years ago he told her he was interested in her, but she let him down gently. They didn't speak for a long time, and when they did it was formally. But she just…. He gave her the choice and she chose…. Him."

He looked mortified.

"No she didn't," Mel said softly. "Look, Reuben is my best friend and I know her better than anybody. She just feels useless right now. She was stuck in the East for so long, hearing about what was going on but unable to help. Now that she can she doesn't want to be stuck in this house whilst we do all the heavy lifting. She _needs_ to do something to help."

"That's what she said," he murmured.

"Well there you go then. Reuben has seen a lot of death and destruction in her time, maybe she's sick of it and wants to prevent more. Who are we to stop her?" she smiled gently.

"And besides," she placed a hand on his lower arm and grinned. "All she ever flipping talked about in the East was a wonderful man called Remus Lupin."

"She did?" he looked up hopefully.

"Yeah, I know all about you Remus." She winked mischievously and patted his arm again.

"But all this arguing, what is it for? Have we not learned anything from this war but that life is too short and too precious to waste on arguments, when those that we love are right in front of us?"

He looked down again.

"Remus, just do it. Why live in hope when you could live in love?"

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"Someone help," came a cry from the kitchen. Recognizing the panic in the usually calm and controlled voice, several of the group rushed down to the kitchen at a considerable speed.

"What is it?" Imelda shouted, bursting into the kitchen. Lupin had beaten her there, and stood with horror in his eyes. Snape stood at the back door, his usually set face creased with pain and despair. In his arms lay Reuben, covered in blood, her robes torn and her face lifeless.

"Reuben…." Remus whispered, unable to move. Imelda stood rooted to the spot, her eyes fixed on her best friend's limp body. Snape buckled slightly, and suddenly Lupin shot forward as if someone had smashed the wall of panic and fear that had set him rigid. He caught Reuben as Sirius and Lucius grabbed hold of Snape. They half dragged him to a chair, where he collapsed. Lupin cradled Reuben, looking down at her face. A mixture of emotions possessed him, as he realized his worst nightmare.

"Remus," Dumbledore said very quietly. "We must get her upstairs."

Lupin nodded dumbly and moved slowly towards the door. Imelda watched them go but could not move. Sirius helped Snape to limp after them.

"I couldn't stop them. I tried but they went for her, all of them…."

"Hush, Severus," Sirius said quietly. "It was not your fault."

Imelda quivered slightly, still unable to move. Reuben was her best friend. They had seen everything together- life, death, love and hate. The laughs they had shared and the tears they had shed, the battles they had fought, lost and won. It all seemed to hang in the balance. She had lost many a friend already to this dreadful war, but if she were to lose Reuben, she would lose a part of herself. It could not happen. She closed her eyes, memories of their childhood, their growing up and their friendship flashed through her mind and paralyzed her. She swayed, and if it had not been for the arm that flew out to catch her she would have fallen over.

Lucius Malfoy held her up and began to lead her to a chair.

"No," she mumbled."I have to see her," she protested, straining slightly to evade him, but he held her back gently.

"We must let Dumbledore work, Imelda."

"You don't understand!"

"I understand perfectly. You forget that I almost lost my son." She looked into his eyes and saw that he was telling the truth. He knew how she felt- the choking fear, the paralyzing pain and sorrow that she felt at seeing her best friend covered in her own blood, not knowing if she was even alive, and the desperation for her to be alright. He knew.

He coaxed her to a seat and she sat down, staring at the ceiling, hoping and praying that Dumbledore could defy the odds once more.

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	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

The Truth

"Do we know what happened yet?" Imelda asked, watching Sirius as he sat down opposite her at the kitchen table, having returned from Reuben's room.

"Yes. The call was a set up. They were ambushed by a team of death eaters, along with Bellatrix. They lured them into a deserted area and let rip."

Imelda swallowed, realizing the very true physical connotations that Sirius's description carried.

"How is she?"

"Well Dumbledore was in there a long time. He says she's very lucky, but is not out of the woods yet. He was quite surprised that she wasn't…."

He did not have to say the word, the concept of death hung around the house and indeed around all of their lives as Voldemort wreaked his havoc.

Mel closed her eyes for a moment, realizing how tired she was. She had not slept all night, but had waited in the kitchen for news of her best friend's condition.

"And Remus is with her now?"

Sirius chuckled, the dark rings around his eyes noticeable.

"Just trying to get him to leave her is laughable. He won't budge from her side."

Imelda thought back to their conversation a few hours prior to the disaster. He must feel so guilty- they had not parted on good terms. Perhaps she should go up and see him? But then, what could she say? And if the truth be told, she did not dare look at Reuben, and did not want to see the extent of the damage.

"Is Snape OK?" Imelda asked, leaning her head on the table top.

"He got pretty mashed up too, but nowhere near as much as Reuben did. He says they went for her first, and apparently they meant business. Snape reckoned there was some highly illegal cursing going on, hence the blood. He tried to help her but there were too many of them."

They were silent for a moment, each of them considering the terrifying situation. Imelda shuddered.

"How on earth did they get away?" she whispered.

"I have no idea. Dumbledore saw to Snape's injuries and now he's out for the count. This house is turning into a hospital," he joked, exercising his familiar Sirius trait, smiling through the clouds.

Imelda grinned too.

"Well I for one am starving, and I know for a fact that there are five hungry kids up there, plus those of us that are conscious." He strode to one of the cupboards, opened it and frowned. He then did the same to the fridge, and the rest of the cupboards, his frown deepening as he worked his way around the kitchen.

"What is it?" Imelda asked, sitting up. "What, are there death eaters in the cupboards?"

He chuckled.

"No, worse. We are out of food."

"Oh, yeah, Reuben and I were going to go shopping but then the tip off came. I could go- do you think its safe?"

Sirius looked doubtful.

"No offence Mel, but I really don't think you should go anywhere on your own, considering the circumstances…."

"I could go with you," said a low voice from the doorway. Lucius stood there, leaning against the frame.

Sirius looked at him.

"Er…"

Imelda did nothing, and said nothing.

"Look, I understand if after last night you can't trust me, I am…. Was a death eater. But I am as horrified as you over this, and the more I see of Voldemort's work, the happier I am not to be a part of it any more. I just thought with Lupin being tied up with Reuben, Snape being unconscious and Dumbledore exhausted, you might like me to come and lend a hand. After all, It is a lit to carry if we are to feed twelve of us."

Imelda blinked. Sirius considered.

"To be perfectly frank," he said eventually. "I am so hungry that I am willing to trust you. If Imelda is happy to." He looked to her. She glanced at Lucius without making eye contact and remembered his support the night before.

"Let's go," she said, standing up and heading for the door. Lucius went to follow her but Sirius caught his arm and stopped him.

"Changed as you seem to be," he said in a low voice, "I promise that if you try anything with Imelda, or betray us in any way I will personally hunt you down and make you pay." Something in the man's eyes convinced Lucius that he was in no way joking, and that his words carried a most sinister truth.

"You have my son, Sirius. Would I leave him here with you and hand Imelda over to the Dark Lord?"

Sirius looked at him menacingly.

"I don't know what you'd do, but I know what you're capable of. I mean it- prove to me that you can be trusted and I will trust you, but until then heed my warning. I want her back here exactly the same as she left." Lucius nodded and looked down at Sirius's hand clasping his arm tightly.

"Understood, Mr. Black."

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"What is this?" Lucius asked, holding up a box of something.

Imelda sighed.

"They are fish fingers, Lucius. Are you going to do this all around the shop?"

He discarded the box and looked blank.

"I apologize. I have never fulfilled this duty before."

She looked at him incredulously over a freezer full of frozen peas.

"You have never been shopping?"

"Well in the wizarding world one has little cause to do so. That is what house elves are for. And magic is considerably useful in such cases."

Imelda gave a little laugh.

"I suppose you are right. Well now you know how to do it should you ever have to."

He smiled also, and then jumped out of the way of a trolley that was being pushed by an old lady with no sense of direction.

"Have we nearly finished?" he asked, collecting himself.

"Almost," she answered with a pen lid in her mouth. She crossed something off of her list, then read it again quickly to see what they still needed to find.

"Could you just go back to aisle three and grab some sugar?" she asked, placing the lid back on the pen.

He looked concerned, and did not immediately move.

"Lucius, Voldemort's not going to send his minions into the supermarket after me is he?"

Seeing that she had a point, Lucius wandered off to find the sugar.

A little while later he came back with not only a bag of sugar, but a little old woman clutching his arm.

"Pardon me dear," she said, sounding frail, "but I hope you don't mind me borrowing your husband. He so kindly saved me from a disaster in the cat food aisle." Imelda fought the smile that threatened to invade her face.

"He…. He isn't my husband, and I'm very glad he could be of use to you."

The old woman looked up at Lucius's face and let go of his arm.

"He isn't? Well maybe he should be dear. Such a handsome man, and a real gentleman too."

Imelda had to smile and shake her head at the irony of it.

The old woman patted him and wandered off.

"Ok, two questions. One- what the hell were you doing in the cat food aisle?"

She took the sugar from him and checked he'd got the right one.

"I got lost," he said simply. "I am not familiar with the layout of this complex."

"And two- what on earth kind of disaster did you save the old dear from?"

He looked heavily embarrassed.

"She chose to take a tin from the bottom of the stack and the whole lot fell down. I pulled her out of the way so she didn't get buried."

Imelda sighed and began to walk toward the check out.

"Well who would have thought it. Lucius Malfoy, head of the Dark Lord's army of death eaters, saving old ladies from cat food disasters in muggle supermarkets?"

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	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

The House on Honey Hill

Remus Lupin sat forward in his chair, clutching Reuben's hand for all he was worth. He watched- every muscle in his body straining as he allowed himself to hope. He was sure she'd squeezed his hand.

Then, as if to confirm his thoughts and reward his hope, Reuben's eyes fluttered open slowly. She did not focus on anything, but instead gazed groggily wherever her eyes wandered, and eventually they rested upon Lupin's face. Lupin sat very still, gazing back at her with the faintest of tears in his eyes.

"I thought I'd lost you," he whispered.

She squeezed his hand again very gently. Reuben was still very weak, although Dumbledore's healing magic had sealed her cuts and healed her bruises. She was improving by the hour, and waking up was the step that they had all been waiting for in her recovery process. They sat for a good half an hour in silence, before Reuben began to focus on objects and outlines, and eventually Remus's face. Remembering not for the first time since Reuben and Snape's return how it had felt seeing her the way he had when Snape had carried her in to the kitchen, Lupin made a decision to do what he should have done long ago.

"Reuben, I have to tell you something. And I know you probably can't answer yet, but that's fine. Just listen, I have to tell you now. I almost didn't get the chance and I can't let that happen again."

She said nothing, but watched him intently.

"I have been meaning to tell you this for a long time. And I'm not exactly sure how to, so bear with me. I think…. I think you are the most beautiful, wonderful person I know, and I regret every single time I have ever hurt you or have walked away from you. I missed you like crazy when you went back to the East and I have thought about you every waking moment, from then until now. I am not happy unless you are close by- close enough for me to see, and touch, and I can't stand it when you go away. The reason I did not want you to go with Snape, although it seems silly now, is that I was scared you would walk away from me for good, and forget me. And when you came back…like you did…. I thought I was going to lose you. I don't know what I would do if that were to happen. What I am trying to tell you, Reuben Erwin, is that I love you. Always have, and always will. I love you."

He finished his speech, his face having colored a little, and looked down at his knees. Only did he look up when he felt Reuben squeeze his hand again, with a little more pressure than last time.

She was smiling.

"You moron," she croaked.

He looked taken aback and slightly confused.

"Wasn't so hard, was it?" she moved her other hand to rest on his and the one he already grasped.

"I love you too."

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The house on Honey Hill was quiet and peaceful, its residents reveling in the fact that Reuben was awake and was looking much better, and Snape was almost back to his usual self. Draco's leg was mended, and he could almost walk normally again. Imelda stood at the window and looked out. The sky was clouding over, thick, black clusters of cloud forming right over the house. It was unusually menacing, and brought with it an un-nerving sense of foreboding. The clouds were moving very quickly, and grew darker and greater by the minute.

Lucius Malfoy joined her at the window, but she did not notice. She was almost mesmerized by the sky.

Intrigued by her expression and how deeply her attention had been caught, he followed her gaze to the sky. His face turned as dark as the clouds.

Grabbing her arm he dragged her away from the window and yanked the curtains shut.

"What the hell are you doing?" she shouted, struggling free of his grip.

"Listen to me, this is very serious. We need to leave, now." His voice was grave and contained a note of panic. His blonde hair fell across his face as he ran to the stairs and called for his son. Draco appeared at the top and looked down at his father, confused.

"What is this all about?" Imelda demanded.

Sirius appeared from the kitchen and looked at Lucius.

"What is it?" he asked.

"They have found the house," Lucius said. "They are on their way- look outside."

Sirius strode to the window, followed by Snape who had also heard all the commotion.

They looked out, and their faces turned the same way that Lucius's had.

"He's right," Sirius stated. "Get everyone together as quickly as possible."

Moments later, everyone was gathered in the living room with the curtains drawn and the candles all extinguished.

"We must leave as quickly and as quietly as possible."

As if to exaggerate Dumbledore's point, a loud clap of thunder cracked above them.

"Sirius and I will head East, taking with us Harry and the list, plus all relevant and useful information that we have so as not to lose it. Remus- you take Reuben and Hermione, head to Hogwarts and stay there until you hear from us. Professor Snape, head also for Hogwarts but find an alternate route, and take Ron and Ginny Weasley with you. Lucius and Imelda, take Draco and…." He did not get to finish his sentence as the thunder sounded again, louder this time. The wind outside began to batter the house, and thick, heavy rain began to beat down on the roof and the widows. A chilling laugh revealed the presence of Bellatrix Lestrange, a second laugh announcing the arrival of Arabella.

Dumbledore signaled for silence, and the witches and wizards drew their wands. Imelda's fingers twitched by her sides, as did Reuben's, their hands empty of wands.

The army approaching was, judging from how close their laughter had sounded, a half a mile away at the bottom of Honey Hill. They had a matter of minutes, perhaps even seconds to escape.

Remus beckoned Hermione over, supporting Reuben with one arm. He gathered the three of them together and looked around at the others.

"Godspeed," he whispered gravely, and then they were gone.

Snape, Ron and Ginny were next to apparate, whilst Sirius gathered the most important things in the room that they could not leave behind. He stuffed Voldemort's list into his jacket pocket, along with various documents, parchments and letters, and joined Dumbledore and Harry as they prepared to apparate.

Once they were gone, only Lucius, Draco and Imelda remained. Draco looked terrified, and quivered as Bellatrix's chilling laugh sounded once more- this time at the front door. Imelda raised her hand but Lucius grabbed her wrist and tugged her toward the kitchen, half dragging his son with his other hand.

"There's no time," he said, opening the back door.

"Let go…." Imelda pulled but could not get free.

"We have to go, now," he persisted, and continued to drag.

"But she almost killed Reuben!" The more he grasped the harder she tugged to get free, but could not manage it.

"What sense is there in getting yourself killed to avenge your friend?" he half shouted at her. They reached the garden and were suddenly out in the storm. The wind took Imelda's breath from her and stole the words in her mouth. The rain beat down on them so hard that It hurt, and they were drenched within seconds.

"Let me go Malfoy!" she pleaded, but he would not.

"Stop making this harder for yourself, stop struggling." He let go of Draco and retrieved his wand from inside his dark robes, now heavy with water.

"Draco, hold onto me." He had to shout to be heard above the thunder and rain. His son did as he was told and took hold of his father's arm. Still holding Imelda tight with one hand, he dodged her flailing free arm and raised his wand. As he did so Bellatrix and Arabella appeared on the back door step.

"Malfoy!" Bellatrix yelled in delight. "And little Draco. And you have the one from the East as well, I was hoping she might be with you."

Her expression of manic delight changed as she noticed the raised wand and the position the three had adopted.

"Don't you dare," she said menacingly.

"If you don't let me go I swear I'm going to kill you Malfoy…." Imelda kicked him and yanked her arm. Ignoring the searing pain in his lower leg where her foot had struck him, Lucius grabbed her around the waist with the full force of one of his arms, Draco hanging onto him for dear life.

"We'll find you," Arabella yelled, striding forward. "Wherever you go, especially you," she glared with contempt at Imelda.

Lucius waved his wand expertly, holding onto the struggling Eastern witch for all he was worth. His son gripped his robes and clung To Imelda's too in a vain effort to help his father.

"Damn it!" Bellatrix screamed, stamping her feet.

She and Arabella stood alone in the back garden of the House on Honey Hill, the army of death eaters forming around them, their prey long gone.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Dispersed

"Where are they?"

Harry asked, agitated. He and his friends had grown very fond of Imelda in the past few weeks, and he was very conscious of the fact that Dumbledore had not got to finish his instructions as to where Mel, Lucius and Draco should head. The rest of them all knew their destinations, and where to at least look for each other once it was safe to do so, but Mel and the two Malfoys had disappeared, and no-one even knew where to look for them. Come to that, they didn't know if they had even made it out of the house on Honey Hill alive, and although that was a dreadful thought it had crossed all of their minds. Harry was not really concerned for the welfare of Lucius or his son- like other members of the group he found it hard to trust or forgive them as soon as Dumbledore appeared to have done. But Mel was one of them, and with only a death eater and his son for company and a personal vendetta against from the Dark Lord himself facing her, Harry supposed he had a right to be concerned for her welfare.

"I don't know, Harry." Sirius sounded tired, and looked as grave as he had done when they had left the house.

"You don't…. you don't suppose he was working for them all along? Lucius I mean…"

Harry had to ask, although he dreaded the reply.

Dumbledore looked thoughtful.

"Well it was I who decided the groups we split up into, and I must admit that when I did so I did not give much thought to it, given the fact that we were in great danger and speed was of the essence."

He looked at Sirius.

"But judging by the attack on Reuben, Imelda would be a great prize for the Dark Lord, a great threat…extinguished."

A terrible silence ensued.

"But…. After all that with Draco… would he do that?" Harry grappled for his fast fading hope.

"I just don't know Harry. As much as I hate to say it, and as much as he seemed to have changed, Lucius Malfoy's reputation does not exist for nothing, and Imelda would be useful redemption for him in the eyes of the Dark Lord, a Lord that he has loyally followed since the start of this war……"

Dumbledore stopped, realizing that he was only convincing himself and the other two of the worst.

But had he been wrong to trust Malfoy? Had he planned all of this to recover his position in the Dark Lord's army? Had he tricked them and established himself as one of them, in order to bring them down?

The truth was they just didn't know, and until they heard from Imelda herself, they would not know.

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"I'm worried, Remus."

Reuben cuddled closer into the crook of Lupin's arm as they shared a deep, red sofa in the Hogwarts staff common room. They had reached the safety of the school two days ago, and were now safely concealed within its protective boundaries. Hermione was happy to be reunited with Ron and Ginny when Snape had arrived with them unscathed a few minutes later, and the three teens now sat in front of the fire talking. Snape had been in touch with Sirius and Dumbledore, reporting their safe arrival in the East to the others, and telling the headmaster of their own arrival at Hogwarts.

But still there had been no word from Imelda, Lucius or Draco.

"I know, I am too."

Remus felt guilty for feeling so happy when Imelda was in such danger. His dreams for the past ten years at least had come true, and as he sat on the sofa in safety with the love of his life cuddling up to him, he could not help but feel happy. Snape eyed them wearily from the corner of the room.

"Are you going to do that the whole time we are forced to be together?" he sneered.

"Do what?" the two of them chorused innocently.

He made a face and strode to the window slowly.

"You know very well what."

Remus chuckled and Reuben half buried her face in his chest to hide how red it had turned. She was not completely herself again yet, and still required help from Lupin to walk steadily or get up. Of course, he did not mind.

"Has anyone heard yet?" Hermione called from the fireplace.

Snape shook his head and frowned.

"Must you ask that every five minutes, Granger?"

She looked confused.

"The last time I asked was two hours ago."

Snape looked agitated and turned around sharply.

"Well that was two hours ago too soon. If I had heard then I would have said something. Now kindly stop asking and be quiet."

With that he left the room, slamming the door on his way out.

"Who stole his dummy?" Ron asked, throwing some screwed up paper into the fire to make it roar up again.

"He is just worried," Reuben murmured, clutching the front of Remus's shirt as her head lay on his chest, rising and falling with the rhythm of his heartbeat.

"Well we're all worried but he's the only one opting for verbal abuse." Hermione turned back to the flames and sighed.

"It's been two days. Where are they? Why haven't they made contact?"

"Maybe they can't," Ron suggested. "Maybe that Malfoy git is not the cuddly bunny we decided to make him."

Reuben looked up at Remus, but he was looking at Ron with a strange sort of agreement clear in his expression. Reuben considered it for a moment. They had a point. Imelda had had little choice but to go along with Dumbledore's instructions- what if they had Lucius Malfoy wrong? What if he had disclosed to Voldemort the location of Honey Hill? He could easily have decided that life on team good was not as much fun as life on team evil, and could have offered the information as an attempt to redeem himself, along with handing over Imelda. Would he do that?

"But hang on," Hermione piped up, voicing something that had been troubling them all.

"Wasn't Mr. Malfoy the one to point out the attack?"

"Yeah," Ron replied, "But notice how he did it when it was almost too late? We made it out by the skin of our teeth, they were seconds away from busting us. It could all have been part of his plan, you know how conniving and sly the man is. He is clever, and managed to fool the Ministry and everyone else for years."

Reuben shifted on the sofa. Ron's answer made sense.

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	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

All is not clear

"MALFOY! LET ME OUT!"

Imelda shouted for the hundredth time that day. She had no idea where she was. She remembered being in the garden, running from someone- that laugh- yes, it was Bellatrix Lestrange, and Arabella, her very own cousin was there too. But that wasn't right- she had not been running, she had been _dragged_. She remembered his iron grip and Draco's frightened eyes, and then she'd tried to break free. An arm around her held her there, whilst every muscle in her own body was taught with the effort of trying to escape, to reach Bellatrix and avenge all that she had done. But he wouldn't let her. And then everything had gone blank. She supposed he had hexed her before she could hex him, had put the sleepers on her, perhaps. Then she'd woken up alone, locked in some kind of dungeon.

She banged on the heavy, solid door again.

"Malfoy, I swear I'm going to kill you if you don't let me out! I mean it you slimy cretin, I'll make sure you never…."

Her sentence was cut short by the creaking movement of the door. It opened and Lucius Malfoy stepped inside, closing the door behind him and locking it. He put the key in the inside pocket of his robes and turned to face her.

"I don't think you are in any position to be making threats on my life, Miss Swain," he said with a sickening smile.

"What the hell is going on here?" she said, the fear that had developed over the past two days creeping up her spine and across her neck.

"Why won't you let me go?"

He looked at her intently, then turned his back and began to pace very slowly into the corner.

"I have locked you up for your own good."

"How do you work that out?" she said, feeling weaker by the minute.

"You were hell bent on attacking Bellatrix, and Arabella- your cousin, if I am correct, and I have seen to it that you can't so that you don't get yourself killed." He spoke as if it were the most obvious point he'd ever made, and stood with his back to her.

"Liar."

The fingers of her left hand quivered by her side.

"Don't try it, Imelda, it won't work."

She blinked, her throat tightening slightly. How could he possibly know how to disarm an Eastern witch? He hadn't even noticed that she was one until she'd smashed a mug in her anger. Unless that had all been part of the façade. And yet he had managed. In her unconsciousness he had disarmed her, and now she was defenseless, no magic and no way out.

"You…. You…. I knew I was right not to trust you. I can't believe I walked around a supermarket with you, you git. Tell me, has everything you've said been a lie?" She could feel herself getting angrier.

"You set the whole thing up, didn't you? Once you had Draco back it was all a game, and you stand there with that stupid grin on your face because you think you have won. You didn't drag me from that house to save me; you did it so that you could get the brownie points from Voldemort for catching one of Dumbledore's Eastern two instead of Bellatrix. What does that make me? Your redemption in his eyes?"

He turned around slowly, and she continued.

"You are sick, Malfoy. Your son suffered at his hands and now you go back to him, sniveling your apologies and offering me as your sorry present. What about Draco?"

She had struck a nerve there.

"Be quiet," he said warningly.

"Does he know that daddy is back on the Dark Lord's team? He'll be pleased when he finds out that auntie Bellatrix, the one who broke his leg deliberately and then laughed as he cried for his daddy, comes back for afternoon tea with her new best buddy- his FATHER."

"I said be quiet!" he said thunderously, and drew his wand.

"I can't believe we trusted you," she said quietly. "Did you tell them where the house was? Oh, and that little 'help they're coming we need to leave' charade was just for effect, was it? To convince the others?"

"And it worked, didn't it?" he smiled venomously. "For all they know we didn't make it out alive and Bellatrix has presented our bodies to the Dark Lord. They'll never know the truth."

Imelda felt sick. He stood there, after all that had happened to his son, and was prepared to go back to the ones responsible.

"You have it all figured out," he mused, turning away from her again. "So what happens to you now?"

Having contemplated the answer to that question, Imelda made a split second decision. She waited until he was at the angle where he could not see her out of the corner of his eye and threw herself full pelt at him. He fell to the ground and she landed on top of him, pinning him there. His wand was still in his hand, and she grappled for it desperately, seeing it as her only way of escaping. She grabbed it and pulled but he held on to it. He yanked it out if her grasp and hurled it across the room, and the sound of it clattering in the corner made her heart sink. In a matter of seconds he'd reversed their roles, and was almost sitting on her.

"You don't seriously think you can win?" he panted, having been winded by her tackling him to the ground. She could not move, and eventually gave up trying to.

"No, I suppose not, but I couldn't resign myself to your twisted plans for me without at least trying to."

She did not look at him, but turned her head to the side so that her cheek lay against the cold stone floor. After a minute or so he stood up, dragging Imelda to her feet as well. He retrieved his wand, this time not turning his back on her, and laughed.

"Well I knew you'd be trouble, but that- I did not expect."

Imelda retreated to the shadows of the corner, and slid down the wall, glaring at him. She sat huddled on the ground, hugging her knees to her chest and leaning her forehead on her folded arms.

Lucius watched her for a few minutes, and then turned to leave.

"You won't win, Malfoy," she said quietly, not looking up.

"I won't?" he sounded amused.

"No. Never."

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	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

The Waiting Game

"We have to do something," Reuben said in exasperation, banging her fist on the wooden table with a resounding thump.

"Why Is it that you are all so happy to let the battle come to you? Why don't we take it to them?"

"What like you did?" Sirius said, raising his eyebrows. "Yeah, cos that worked out brilliantly, I quite fancy getting mauled and almost killed."

Reuben made a growling sound in her throat and scowled at Sirius.

"Mel's life is at risk here. Why don't any of you want to do anything to help find her?"

She looked around the table at the others, but no-one looked back at her. They all cast their eyes to their laps or their hands, not wanting to voice the answer to her question.

"It is difficult to even know where to start," Dumbledore said quietly, "When we don't know the situation. Assuming they made it out alive, there are any number of possible scenarios. As some of us have already suggested, they could have been split up, could be deep in hiding, or could have been captured by Bellatrix and her companion. It is of course, possible that Lucius has decided that his loyalty lies elsewhere, in which case we are justified in fearing for Imelda, but the fact of the matter is, until we have some idea of which is the case then it is impossible to know where to look."

Reuben closed her eyes and wished that Remus was here to back her up. He had been forced to leave for a few days, having already left it as late as he dared in order to wait for Dumbledore and Sirius to arrive at Hogwarts with Harry, and the second they had set foot in the Hogwarts grounds he had left discreetly to undergo the transformation to werewolf. She needed him now though, and cursed his condition, not for the first time. Suddenly Snape got up, his chair grating against the stone floor as he did so, and he left the room in silence.

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Imelda sat with her back against the wall, a thousand thoughts fighting for space in her mind all at once.

How long would he leave her here before presenting her to the Dark Lord? Where was he now? What had happened to Draco? Had the others made it back OK? Was there anything she could do now to save herself? What would it be like to face Voldemort? How could she have been so stupid as to have trusted him?

He had fooled her most cleverly. She had looked into his eyes and believed that he had changed. But that was silly- who changed from a death eater to a member of Dumbledore's Order virtually overnight? The two carried entirely separate and different ideologies believed in different causes and above all, despised each other. How could any of them have been so silly as to really believe him?

But one thing bothered her. She could still here him uttering the words, "_What kind of father am I_?" She could still here the remorse and the pain in his broken voice, and could still feel the shame and despair she had felt that night coming off of him. And her answer- "_a changed one_," he had nodded at with sincerity. It was his eyes. They agreed with her. So how could he have concealed a cold, malicious traitor behind them so effectively?

She drew her knees up to her chest once more, shivering in the cold, dark emptiness of the dungeon, and contemplated her fate once more. Fear was not something she usually allowed herself to indulge in, but at present, it paralyzed and controlled her mind.

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Snape drew his cloak tighter around his shoulders as he strode across a deserted field and came to a halt by a disused, derelict church. The graveyard was overgrown beyond repair- he could see that even in the dark, and those that rested there had been without visitors for many years. He stood for a moment by the main door, rubbing his hands together to keep warm. There had been a definite change in the weather.

"You came."

Snape looked around for the voice, spotting Lucius Malfoy as he stepped out from behind a huge old crypt, covered in vines.

"I did," Snape said, looking past Lucius and around the graveyard.

"Don't worry, it's just us. No-one else." Lucius moved out of the shadows and into the only light in the graveyard, coming from a tired old lamp.

Snape nodded.

"So, have you won your place back yet?" he asked, his eyes constantly searching the darkness.

"Almost." Lucius sounded uncomfortable.

"What's the hold up?" Snape's head snapped back to his old friend.

Lucius turned away from him and looked into the darkness beyond the graves.

"He wants Imelda. Or rather, Bellatrix does. I suppose she wounded her pride the night we got Draco back, and holds Imelda accountable. Bellatrix never was a great one for forgiveness."

"What about Draco? Doesn't he want him back?"

Lucius shook his head.

"No, as far as Draco is concerned, I have learned my lesson. My son is of no use to the Dark Lord, but Imelda is a great prize. An Eastern witch from Dumbledore's team. Bellatrix wants her revenge, and the Dark Lord wants the information she can give us. Plus she'd be another threat…. Extinguished."

Something about his tone and his behavior was bothering Snape.

"And," he asked carefully, "Are you going to give her to him?"

Lucius was silent, his back to Snape.

"Lucius?"

He sighed and looked up at the moon- it was full.

"I keep seeing her face, Severus, frightened and innocent. I recall how Draco was…. Treated, and how Miss Erwin returned from her meeting with Bellatrix, and it complicates things. Last night she discovered her fate, and I keep seeing her eyes in my mind, full of what I can only describe as terror. That, plus a distinct hatred for me."

Snape narrowed his eyes.

"Lucius, I don't need to remind you of the danger involved here. It is a great surprise to me that the Dark Lord has given you a second chance to prove yourself. My advice, old friend- do not push yourself any further than you feel you can go."

Lucius clenched his jaw and closed his eyes.

"It is too late for that, Severus."

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	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Lucius let himself into the vault underneath the crypt in silence, the old key clanking in the ancient lock. It had a decidedly dungeon type feel to it, being so old, and underground. It was not a pleasant place, but was very remote and there was little chance of it being found- even by Voldemort.

He entered the room cautiously, as she had caught him off guard once and he did not want a repeat performance. Spotting Imelda on the floor in the far corner he locked the door behind himself and pocketed the key once more. He carried a tray of food and some water for her, and proceeded to make his way over to the corner. Had she heard him come in? She must have done, the lock was so loud. She was most likely remaining stubborn and ignoring him, or trying to trick him in some way. He put the tray down and moved over to her slowly. She was lying on her side facing the wall, and was very still. As he got nearer he realized that she was sleeping. Knowing that he would be gone for a while, he made the decision to wake her. He crept up close to her and knelt down. About to tap her lightly Lucius stopped himself and watched her for a moment. She was breathing almost silently- he had never seen anyone so still in sleep. When Draco was a baby, he'd sleep like that, and Lucius remembered having to bend over him in his cot to check that he was still breathing at all. Her chest rose and fell slightly with the rhythm of her silent, steady breathing, so he did not need to check. Her hair was scattered across her face, one of her arms bend up near her head in a protective manner. She had her legs curled up and the other arm almost hugged them. It looked like she had dropped down in despair, and had fallen asleep in a rather distressed form of the fetal position. Even in sleep there was anguish in her expression, and she would twitch slightly every now and then almost frowning.

After a little while, Lucius reached out and touched her arm very gently. She did not feel it at first, so he did it again. The second time he touched her she awoke with a start, her eyes filled with panic and confusion. She looked disorientated, and took a few seconds to focus her eyes. When she did so she sat bolt upright and dragged herself backwards slightly, her back hitting the wall with a thump.

"It's OK," Lucius said very quietly. "I didn't mean any harm."

She looked at him for a minute, trying to take in what he'd said. She watched him get up, and her eyes traced his movement to where he had set the tray and back again.

"I brought you something to eat," he said, setting it down beside her.

"You must be hungry."

She looked down at the food and leaned her head back against the wall. He turned away slightly, and did not anticipate the apple that flew past his ear and hit the door, bits of it flying chipping off.

He sighed and turned around slowly.

She had pushed the tray away and was scowling at him.

"Forgive me," she said huskily. "But what is the point in eating if I am not going to live for very much longer?"

He said nothing.

"And I don't want anything from you, you murderer."

He half shook his head and looked down, his eyes heavy with something indistinguishable- sadness, or maybe frustration?

"Even if you haven't killed anyone, you have contributed to their deaths. I think the term 'death eater' kind of seals that one for you. By supporting the Dark Lord's cause you support death. Tell me, Lucius, will I be the first murder of your reconciliation with Voldemort? Or have you been busy whilst I've been asleep? Perhaps those from Honey Hill have beaten me to it, have you killed them yet?" as soon as she'd said it her face filled with anger and sorrow.

"I…." Lucius paused his sentence to dodge the plate that flew past, and the food that it had carried. Then it was the tray- that landed somewhere in the corner.

"If you'd kindly stop throwing things at me I could….."

"You make me sick," she spat.

"Will you just get on with it already? Because I'm tired of all this brooding sidekick stuff. I get that you are evil, you're a monster, well proven. Now get your precious Dark Lord in here and stop stringing it out."

Snape's words echoed in his mind, along with the words she had just hurled at him. _Monster. Evil._

"I have already told you that giving out orders will get you nowhere," he snapped.

Imelda closed her eyes and gave a little laugh.

"Now if you've quite finished with all your rehearsed little speeches and heroic outbursts, I have something to say."

He sidestepped the water bottle that she threw and clenched his jaw. With a sigh he drew his wand and muttered something, and the objects around the room that she had hurled in various directions settled back upon the tray, the right way up and unscathed.

"I have to go somewhere and will be gone for a while. Throw your food at me if you want, but there will be nothing more for a long time- until I get back. It is your decision, Miss Swain, and I advise you to think a little harder before you give in to your temper."

She looked like she was about to get up and hit him. If it had not gone so badly the first time she would have, but he was at an unfair advantage as he had a wand, and weighed a fair amount more than she did. It was useless.

Lucius pushed the tray nearer to her with his foot, and looked at her evenly.

"Now. Behave yourself, and I will be back in a few hours."

He turned to leave and retrieved the key from his chest pocket, making sure that she was not about to rugby tackle him from the side. Bu she remained slumped against the wall, the life having seemingly drained out of her.

"I hate you," she whispered, and his hand froze on the key as he turned it in the lock. He stood perfectly still for a moment, his back to her. And then he was gone.

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	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Battle

Lucius made his way quietly back through the deserted fields towards the graveyard and abandoned crypt. He did not dare risk apparating directly there, in case he should be traced. He had just been to a meeting with Voldemort, Bellatrix and Arabella, and was convinced that although back in their good books, he was not completely trusted by them. Imelda was his only advantage, and should they trace him back to where she was he would lose that advantage. Instead he'd apparated from the meeting to a village a fair few miles away, and had walked back to the old church. As he entered the graveyard, his mind was racing with thoughts from the meeting.

Voldemort was becoming impatient and wanted him to hand over Imelda. Or rather, Bellatrix had put her parts on, annoyed at having to wait for Imelda, and had convinced Voldemort that Imelda was a deadly threat to them. The Dark Lord had taken little convincing, and Lucius was sure that they would not wait for much longer. He had learned much in the few days he had spent back with the Dark Lord, and did not regret his actions for a moment. Stopping in the graveyard, he looked around himself. He was sure he'd heard a noise. Frowning, he made a decision. He strode quickly down the crumbling steps to the underground crypt, his black cloak billowing out behind him as he drew the ornate old key from his pocket. He turned it in the lock and strode into the room without hesitation or caution. He located Imelda quickly and walked right up to her. She looked surprised, then angry and scared as he grabbed her arm and half dragged her out of the room. At the door she grabbed the door frame and gripped it, trying to wrench her arm from his grip.

"Let go," he barked, but upon seeing she that she had no intention of doing so he turned and keeping hold of her with one hand, used the other to prize her fingers from the knarled door frame. He used his full weight to shove her out of the room and then drag her up the bedraggled stairs, Imelda squinting in the daylight. There had been no windows underground, and it had been a few days since she'd seen the sun.

She gave up struggling, half paralyzed with fear and exhaustion.

"Is he here?" she whispered. Lucius held her, looking around them with an odd expression. He seemed panicky himself, Imelda thought.

"No, _he's_ not. But we are," said a woman's voice. Both Imelda and Lucius stiffened, Lucius's grip weakening slightly on Imelda's arms.

"So this is where you have been hiding her, Lucius." Bellatrix Lestrange strolled lazily out of the overgrown mass of tree and hedge, dangling her wand like it was a meaningless twig. Arabella joined her, her eyes focused on Imelda with a twisted grin.

"Tell me, were you on your way to us? To bring her to me?" Lucius said nothing, but let go of one of Imelda's arms discreetly. Bellatrix did not notice as he reached inside his robes for his wand.

"I don't think so, do you Bella?"

She cocked her head on one side and glanced at Arabella, who shook her head and giggled.

"I think," Bellatrix mused in her childlike way, "That Lucius here has a little confession to make."

Imelda gasped quietly as Lucius poked his wand into her back.

"Shys sai vyraes," he muttered under his breath, and what felt like a bolt of electric rampaged through her body. She did not understand- he'd not only discovered the incantation, but had correctly pronounced it, and had given her back the ability to do magic just as he was about to hand her over to Voldemort. Was this his idea of a joke? To get her to fight the Dark Lord for entertainment? Bellatrix and Arabella had begun to circle them menacingly. Still he held her in a hostile manner, gripping her wrist and poking his wand into her back.

"Now now Bellatrix," he growled, close to her ear, causing a shiver to run across her neck and down her spine.

"What are you implying?"

Bellatrix watched Imelda intently.

"Come on Lucius," she said, folding her arms and looking at Imelda almost hungrily.

"You have been very naughty, and you know it." Her voice made Imelda's blood boil, and suddenly she forgot her fear and exhaustion. She sounded like a little child making fun and games out of the suffering and death she caused, and Imelda knew she was next on the list. Suddenly everything in her cause returned to her mind, the torture and deaths of Frank and Alice Longbottom, old friends of hers, the attempted torture and murder of her best friend, the innocent son of Lucius Malfoy and his broken leg, his calls for his father in the sodden alley, the continuing trail of blood, destruction, death and misery being left by the woman before her in the name of her Dark Lord. Suddenly Imelda felt alive and awake and stirred once more. She fought Lucius with all her might, almost wrenching herself from his grip.

Bellatrix tutted.

"Keep your hostage under control, Malfoy," she spat. "But then, she's not really your hostage, is she?"

Imelda stopped wriggling.

Still he said nothing, only watched Arabella circle them.

"You traitor," Arabella said venomously.

"Did you really think you could fool us? Was Draco's punishment not enough? This time we will be sure to break more than his legs. He will suffer endlessly for this, Malfoy."

Lucius stiffened again.

"You will not touch him, Arabella, because you cannot get at him. He is safe; you will never reach him again."

Bellatrix sighed musically.

"Well, never mind, we'll settle for you two."

"I don't understand," Imelda whispered.

"Oh Mel, you dense little thing," Arabella laughed. "He's played us. He's on your side after all. He and Severus Snape have planned this whole thing. Swapping you for information about Voldemort's new games, sneaking around to find out what he could. Only he never intended to hand you over."

"What?" Imelda tried to turn and face him but he wouldn't let her, and held her in front of him instead.

"Is it true?" she whispered.

"Yes," he said in her ear, causing her to shiver again.

Very aware of the fact that both Arabella and Bellatrix were pointing wands at them, the two remained still next to an elaborate grave.

"Well played, Lucius," Bellatrix smiled sinisterly. "But you've lost. Now step aside. The Dark Lord can deal with you- I want her." She looked at Imelda.

"No."

There was a stunned pause.

"Excuse me?" Arabella said in surprise.

"I said no. You expect us to lie down and die?" Lucius sneered.

"Your son would have," Bellatrix said, placing her hands on her hips. "Brave little soldier lasted about five minutes."

Lucius gritted his teeth and let go of Imelda.

"Well I am not my son." He raised his wand, and Imelda stepped aside from him slightly. She glanced at Arabella. She was an Eastern witch, and would know how to fight one- but there were two facing two, it wasn't impossible that they could live.

"You'll never win," Lucius said with a smirk. "His promises are empty, his lies will be the end of you. But then, the end of you would benefit us all."

Furious, Bellatrix raised her wand. Arabella tugged at Bellatrix's robes like a child.

"WHAT?" The older witch snapped.

"Can I kill him?" Bella asked gleefully.

"He's yours, Bella. I want her." Bellatrix raised her wand and pointed it at Imelda.

Imelda glanced at Lucius, and he at her. The same will to survive existed in both of them, and they had not made it this far in the war, risked this much, to die now. Bellatrix narrowed her eyes and pointed her wand.

"You'll be begging me to stop, Malfoy, and your girlfriend here will die very slowly in front of you whilst you wish again and again that you hadn't betrayed us."

Lucius raised his wand and looked at her gravely. Imelda's fingers twitched with energy, and she stood beside him.

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Imelda gasped as she hit the ground, her side colliding with a gravestone that lay buried in the undergrowth. Lucius landed on top of her, then rolled to the side and shot up to his feet again. Bellatrix cackled in the background, delighted with her work. Lucius had thrown Imelda to the ground and then had joined her there himself, saving them both from a thin green spindle of evil that had come from Bellatrix's wand. Imelda gripped the gravestone, conscious of the fact that Lucius was now fighting Arabella and did not know much about Eastern magic. But then again, he'd disarmed and re-armed her, so he knew more than he revealed. He was an accomplished wizard, and a dangerous one at that, and Arabella never had been any good with any kind of magic. Her childish cravings for power and attention would, as Imelda had long ago predicted, be the end of her- and quite possible at the hands of Lucius Malfoy. Right now, Imelda had far more pressing worried in the form of the demented Bellatrix Lestrange towering over her.

"You pathetic little waste of space," the crazy woman cackled, her manic eyes full of glee. "He won't always be around to save you." She raised her wand once more, and brought it down with a resounding crack. But Imelda had clambered to her feet, narrowly avoiding the dangerous explosion emitted from Bellatrix's wand.

"What, no magic from the Eastern witch? Did silly Lucius forget to rearm you?" she raised her wand again relentlessly.

Imelda's move Bellatrix did not anticipate. She pulled her arm back and then punched the woman square in the face, knocking her off her feet.

"Magic is not always necessary you crazed old hag," she said, her voice laden with the intense anger and emotion that the woman before her evoked.

Lucius looked up from the other side of the graves just in time to see Imelda raise a hand. Her eyes blazed a thousand colors at once, as did the thin, colorful wisps coming from the ends of her fingers. Bellatrix lay on the ground, her wand a few meters away from her. She looked, for the first time in a long time, frightened.

"This is for my friends," Imelda said, her voice sounding stronger and louder than Lucius had ever heard it. "And for all the innocent people that have died at your hands." She waved an arm and one of the gravestones came loose from the ground. It hovered, then rose in the air. Bellatrix followed it with her eyes, mesmerized.

Imelda closed her eyes, faces flashing through her mind. Frank, Alice, Reuben in her bloodied state, James and Lilly Potter, Draco Malfoy, her friends in the East, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, the seven that were still missing. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes.

"Like he said," she waved her head in Lucius's direction. "The end of you will benefit us all."

Bellatrix screeched and scrambled to her feet, lunging towards Imelda with her teeth bared.

Flicking a single finger, she closed her eyes again as the levitating stone lump fell with terrific speed, landing with a resounding thump directly on target.

There was silence in the graveyard.

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	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

The Long Way Home

Imelda and Lucius hurried across fields and along roads for two hours in silence. They could not apparate- they were wanted by the Dark Lord and he would have all sorts of spies in place to notify him the moment they performed magic. Arabella had fled the graveyard at Bellatrix's death, and would no doubt have gone straight to Voldemort with news of it. The only option for Lucius and Mel now was to make it to Hogwarts and the protection it offered. They were an hour away on foot. Imelda stopped suddenly and leaned against a tree. Lucius turned impatiently.

"What are you stopping for?" he snapped. He held his wand- he had done since the battle in the graveyard.

She did not look up, but closed her eyes and gritted her teeth.

"I've sprained my ankle. You go on, I wouldn't want to delay you." She spoke bitingly.

Lucius's jaw muscle twitched.

"Don't be absurd. I didn't waste my time keeping you alive for nothing." He stormed over to her and raised his wand, muttering a healing spell. Immediately her ankle felt better, the ache disappearing and the swelling reducing.

"Well I'm terribly sorry to have wasted your time," she snapped, not moving from the tree.

"But if it weren't for you trying to play the hero we would not be running for our lives."

Lucius grabbed her arm and tried to drag her back onto the path. For a moment she allowed herself to be dragged, then she broke free and stepped backwards.

"Will you stop manhandling me!" she shouted, rubbing her arm where he had gripped it. Either he did not know how tightly he tended to do so, or he did not care.

"I realize, Malfoy, that you are used to getting what you want, and that the only way you probably ever got a woman within ten feet of you was to grab and manhandle her, but if you touch me one more time I swear you will regret it."

Lucius stood still and watched her carefully. She looked very angry- even shook slightly.

"You know," he mused softly, "Most people are more polite to those that have just saved their lives at the hands of deranged witches."

Imelda snapped. Mustering every particle of strength that remained in her exhausted body she slapped him across the face. With a satisfying crack, his head turned sharply to the right as her hand connected with his jaw.

There was silence for a few moments, and he turned slowly back to face her, looking slightly menacing. No-one, certainly not a woman, had ever gotten away with hitting him.

"You make me sick," she spat, glaring at him, her hand stinging. "You locked me in that foul cellar for three days and made me believe that I was going to die slowly and painfully at the hands of the most evil man in existence, and then expect me to thank you when one of his minions nearly kills us both in a graveyard?" She was quivering with rage.

"You, Malfoy, are one twisted piece of work."

A thin line of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, which he stemmed with the side of his hand whilst watching her. Her hair had come out of the untidy pony tail it had been in, her curls bouncing angrily as she breathed heavily. The smirk that he usually wore had faded entirely. He reached out and took her arm almost gently, but she slapped at it and withdrew.

"I said don't touch me!" she hit him again, and it was his turn to flip. Ignoring her slapping he took hold of her upper arms and pinned them to her sides, shoving her into a hedge.

"Malfoy, you slimy…"

"Shut up!" he ordered, putting a hand over her mouth. She tried to bite him, but stopped struggling when she heard voices outside of the hedge on the path. He shot her a warning glare and did not let go of her. A figure moved along the path with another.

"Do you think they came this way?" a male voice said.

"I'm not sure. I don't think we'll find them though. Malfoy is clever- had to be to fool the Dark Lord twice. He'll cover his tracks."

It was a couple of death eaters, wearing normal clothes. They looked like harmless young men out for a walk in the countryside. Imelda could only just see past Lucius as he stood in front of her, still covering her mouth.

"What about that woman with him though? I can't believe she actually killed Lestrange."

The other one nodded- they had stopped just short of the bush.

"I heard she was Eastern- they can be a bit… funny, can't they."

"I don't know, I've never met one."

Lucius closed his eyes and his grip loosened slightly. The two men sighed drew their wands. Upon agreeing that they were not getting anywhere with their search in the country lane, they apparated and the road was empty again. After a few moments, Lucius let go of Mel and peered out of the hedge. He did not anticipate her shoving him from behind so that he almost fell in the road.

"I said don't bloody touch me you creep!"

He straightened up and turned around slowly.

"I did it for you, you know."

Mel blinked.

"What?"

His lip was still bleeding but he had not noticed. He was looking at her strangely.

"I kept you there because I couldn't get you back to Hogwarts, and I didn't want to hand you over to him. It was the only place I could think to hide you so that you wouldn't… get hurt."

She shook her head.

"Nice try. You kept me there as your bargaining chip, in case he wanted proof of your loyalty. Don't try to fool me, Malfoy."

"I'm not trying to. Do you honestly think that after what happened to Draco, to my son, that I would go back to him?"

Imelda cocked her head on one side.

"Well at first I thought not, but upon further consideration I realized what an immense, non-caring wazzock you are and how you don't really care about anyone but yourself, and it seemed feasible."

His shoulders slumped and he sighed quietly, turning away.

"Assuming what you say is true, why did you have to lie to the others? And to me?"

"I lied to them because the fewer that knew, the more chance there was of me being able to pull it off. And I lied to you because if you believed I was evil and back on Voldemort's side, then there was a sure chance he would."

She narrowed her eyes and glared at him through them.

"If my hand didn't hurt like hell I'd hit you again, but you're not worth it."

She tried to storm past him but he moved to stand in her path.

"Whatever you believe about me," he said, staring down at her, "I did it to help the seven still missing, to help all of us, and to save you. I have information that could save those missing people, and whatever you think of me should not interfere with our ability to save their lives."

She set her jaw and looked straight ahead- at his chest.

"For the record, I hate you."

"I know, you said."

"And I mean what I say- touch me again and I'll make sure you limp for life. We should get to Hogwarts, before I pass out or kill you. We will hand over the information, and you will stay out of my way."

She stepped around him and moved along the path briskly. He followed and drew his cloak around him.

"Fine. But you should know, I'm not accustomed to taking orders from women."

"Whatever," she muttered.

Hogwarts was now in sight.

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	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Re-united

"Mel!" Reuben grabbed Imelda and pulled her into a bear hug, temporarily forgetting the 'personal space' issues that the two of them shared. Imelda forgot too, hugging her friend back. She was weak and very tired, but a arriving at Hogwarts and being with her best friend, whom she trusted above anyone else, she felt able to let down her guard.

"Where have you been?" Reuben exclaimed, letting her go and standing back to look at her.

Mel shook her head and waved a hand.

"I'll tell you, just get me away from _him_." She threw her head sideways at Lucius and made her way slowly toward the door of the Hogwarts staff common room. Lucius looked at Reuben evenly.

"What have you done?" Reuben demanded.

"No doubt Miss Swain will enlighten you," he snapped, turning to Snape who had appeared from the lower levels of Hogwarts.

Leaving the two men in the corridor Reuben followed her friend into the common room.

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Imelda took off her cloak and threw it angrily onto one of the heavy old couches in the common room. It landed on Remus Lupin, covering his head.

"Oh, sorry," Mel said, retrieving it so that he could see again. "I didn't see you there Remus."

Lupin looked surprised, and glanced over at Reuben as she entered the room shortly after her friend had done.

"You're here," he said in surprise. "Where on earth have you been?"

Mel rolled her eyes and collapsed into an arm chair.

"Long story. You OK Lupin? You look kind of… ill." She leaned into the leather chair and drew her legs up underneath her, studying him closely.

"I'm just back from the Shrieking Shack," he replied, folding up the newspaper he'd been reading.

"Oh, yeah, it was a full moon. Sorry, I forgot."

"It's OK, Reuben is looking after me," he winked mischievously and wound an arm around Reuben's waist as she stood next to him. She laid a hand on his arm and smiled at him, then glanced at Imelda in concern.

"Remus," she said quietly. "Could you give us some time alone?"

He looked tired and pale, and was obviously in recovery. Imelda felt bad for making him leave the room, but she could not talk to anyone but Reuben in her current state. Lupin stood up heavily and yawned, pulling Reuben into his arms. He kissed her temple and murmured something in her ear, then looked slightly embarrassed as he realized that Imelda was still there.

"Sorry," he mumbled, shuffling past Reuben towards the door.

"Don't apologize," Mel said with a tired smile. "I'm so happy for you two."

He returned the smile, looked adoringly at Reuben and left the room. Reuben watched him go, then turned to Mel and flopped onto the sofa where Remus had sat. She threw his folded newspaper onto the floor and sighed.

"You two are so sweet together," Mel said, tucking her hair behind her ears.

"Thanks, I have to admit I'm pretty happy now that we are… together…." Reuben flushed slightly as she spoke. "But enough of that. What on earth has gone on with you and Malfoy? You looked about ready to kill each other. And why was his lip bleeding?"

"I hit him," Imelda said blankly.

"You…hit him?" Reuben sounded confused and slightly awestruck. The man was frightening- his reputation alone decided that. And it was very unlike Imelda to resort to violence. In the East they were taught to remain calm and collected, as a level head was essential when doing magic without a wand.

"Yeah, I hit the creep. He locked me in a cellar for three days, lied to me and then got all grabby and evil."

Reuben's eyebrows rose and she sat forward in her seat. Imelda rolled her eyes again and explained the entirety of the past few days to her best friend. When she had finished, she leaned her head against the back of the arm chair and glowered, looking at the fireplace.

"I could kill him. Seriously, Reuben, keep him away from me or I swear I will."

Reuben shook her head.

"I can't believe you killed Bellatrix Lestrange."

"Lestrange isn't the issue here! That moron out there is!" she waved her arm at the door and shot forward in her seat, exasperated. Again Reuben raised an eyebrow.

"Calm down Mel, it sounds to me like he was telling the truth when he said he did it for you."

"What?"

"He probably kept you down there and lied to you to keep you safe and the rest of us too. Like he said, the fewer that knew, the more authentic it seemed."

Mel shot to her feet and glared at her friend.

"I can't believe you are defending him!" she shouted. "You of all people!"

"Well I am," Reuben said bluntly. "Give the guy a break."

"He's a freaking death eater!"

"No, he _was_ a death eater. I think he's proved by getting you back here that he's on our side now. And besides, I don't think you're hate is reciprocated." Reuben stood up too and began to gather empty teacups that stood around the room.

"What?" Mel said again impatiently.

"I think he likes you."

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Snape sat in an armchair in Dumbledore's office, staring into the grate thoughtfully. He had one leg crossed over the other, and rubbed his chin as he watched the flames dance.

Lucius Malfoy sat opposite in a similar armchair, his eyes closed and his head bent forward.

"What you have told me is most interesting," Snape mused. "But tell me, how did you come to know how to disarm her? It is reported to be damned near impossible."

Lucius did not look up, nor did he open his eyes.

"I had a dream."

Snape turned to look at him.

"What?"

"A dream, Severus."

_**The woman stood before him, the hood of her cloak covering her face. She seemed to glide toward him, she moved so gracefully, and before he knew it she stood very close to him. He looked down at her, straining to see her face, but her blonde hair covered it beneath the cloak. **_

"_**Lucius," she said, her voice musical.**_

"_**Shys sai vyraes."**_

_**What did that mean? It sounded so beautiful, and so foreign. It was not a language he had ever heard before, but it was less the language and more the actual words and the way she said them that enthralled him. It was almost hypnotizing. The woman reached out a hand from within her cloak, and ran her forefinger down the side of his face. **_

"_**Say it," she half whispered. "Shys sai vyraes."**_

_**He tried to speak but found he could not. Her hand was cool and soft on his cheek, and for a moment he could not move. Removing her hand she let down her hood and looked up at him. Her golden hair fell way from her face, revealing clear green eyes that demanded his full attention. Her face seemed familiar, but he could not place it. Something about her had captured him entirely. Although very pretty, she was not as beautiful as the Veela, but there was a peace and a gentleness about her that weakened and threatened him. He felt churned up inside, unable to distinguish one emotion from another, totally drawn into those shocking green eyes.**_

_**He felt his arm reach out, and his hand touched her cheek as hers had touched his. He closed his eyes and felt strangely calm, at peace, and content. **_

"_**Shys sai vyraes," he said quietly, not recognizing his own voice.**_

_**His eyes snapped open as he felt her move away.**_

"_**No, don't go," he whispered, reaching out after her, but his legs would not move to follow her. As she drew further and further away, he felt cold and empty again. He had to get her back, he had to find her again. He had to.**_

Snape watched his friend closely.

"And you're sure it was Imelda?" he asked, his voice low.

"Unquestionably. She bears every resemblance to the woman in my dream. And besides," Lucius stood up and went to the window.

"The words disarmed her, did they not? It was her, Severus. I have found her."

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	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Out of the Blue

"You're in my way," Mel snapped as she tried to get past Lucius in the common room. He moved silently out of her way and did not look at her.

Sirius lounged on the sofa, raising his eyebrows at the atmosphere the two were creating. It was early evening, and the students had returned to their relevant dormitories whilst they remained at Hogwarts. Snape and Lupin had returned to teaching some of their classes, and Dumbledore had been hovering around the castle seeing to various duties. Lucius, Mel and Reuben had remained in either the common room, the Library or the grounds of Hogwarts, but had been called back to the common room for an evening meeting. The story of the past few days had been told, and there had been celebrations at Bellatrix's death. The others, to Imelda's great annoyance, had not seen much of a problem with her being kept underground, and on the contrary, had even seemed pleased at Lucius's plan and especially with the information he had managed to gain in executing it.

Consequently, Mel was in a foul mood.

"Must you keep skulking around in the shadows? You're like some kind of creepy… Filch," Mel snapped again as she passed Lucius on her way to the sink.

"Mel, give him a break," Reuben said, receiving a silencing glare for her troubles.

"It's OK," Lucius said stiffly. "I am not taking any notice whatsoever of her immature, childish behavior."

"Well I would do the same but you make it rather difficult, what with being alive and all." Mel folded her arms and glared at him across the room.

"How's the face by the way?" she said, cocking her head on one side. "Still swollen?"

Lucius clenched his jaw and a stiffened slightly.

"You know, Miss Swain, I really am rather disappointed at your lack of ability. Any witch of substance or talent would have performed much more disarmingly, and all you could manage was a measly slap."

"Perhaps you'd like a matching one on the other side?" Mel stepped forward angrily and was caught by Reuben.

"ALRIGHT," Sirius boomed, standing up quickly.

"We get it, he's a git and you're a highly strung, angry little person. Now could you please kiss and make up so that we don't have to live in constant awkwardness any more?" He waved his hands at the relevant people and then folded them across his chest. Mel and Lucius simply glowered and Lupin stood up.

"Guys?"

"YES?" Sirius boomed again, not immediately conscious of who was talking. "Remus," he cleared his throat.

"I agree with Sirius. Mel, it was rotten of him to keep you in that cellar and to lie to you, but he did it for your own good and ours, and the information he brought back has been most useful. Lucius- you are clearly irritating her, and although she is, as Sirius correctly identified, a little highly strung, you could at least try not to."

He took a deep breath.

"One more thing," he said, silencing whatever the two of them were about to say. He took a deep breath.

"Reuben, will you marry me?"

The room fell totally silent, and Dumbledore's mouth twitched at the corners.

Reuben dropped the empty mug she had been holding and turned slowly to face him, her mouth open.

"What?" she half whispered.

"I am asking, amidst all this arguing and unpleasantness, if you would do me the greatest honor imaginable to me by becoming my wife."

The silence lingered as Reuben's mouth opened and closed several times. Snape looked shocked and stood back in the corner, and Sirius beamed expectantly at Reuben. The whole room seemed to hold its breath.

"I…." Reuben looked at Mel, who was watching Remus as he colored slightly. She then looked across at her friend and abandoned her annoyance. She smiled softly.

In the background Sirius cleared his throat.

"Erm, Remus, aren't you forgetting something mate?" he said very quietly.

Lupin looked confused, and then it clicked. He felt his pockets and from one of them pulled a small dark red box, and fumbled to open it. Inside was a delicate ring that glinted in the dim light of the common room. A few moments more passed before Remus got his answer.

"Remus…. You silly idiot. Give me that ring and wipe that terrified look of your face."

Cheers erupted from Sirius and Dumbledore clapped, as Reuben fell into Lupin's arms and he lifted her off the ground, swinging her around. Reuben laughed- it was nice to hear her laugh again, Mel thought, watching as Sirius congratulated them and Dumbledore joined them to do the same. Snape stood still in the corner, his expression not entirely visible. Mel moved forward and hugged her friend tightly.

"I told you he liked you," she whispered, laughing along with Reuben as she hugged her. Remus beamed for all he was worth and took Reuben's hand.

"You see, you two? That's what I'm talking about." Sirius pointed at the happy couple, raising his eyebrows at Lucius and Mel.

Mel ignored him and Lucius moved forward.

"Congratulations," he said, holding out a hand to Remus. Remus looked at his hand, then grasped it and shook it gently.

"Thank you," he smiled, and Reuben did the same.

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Imelda turned over violently in her sleep, the sheets twisting around her, almost trapping her. She threw her arms over her head and her pillow fell to the floor.

He had even invaded her dreams.

_**She stood perfectly still as the man before her moved closer. She knew him- knew he was dangerous, and she did not want to be near him. And yet, she wanted him to be closer. He stopped a few inches from her, watching her intently. His grey eyes almost mesmerized her, and she could not move.**_

"_**Don't be afraid," he said softly. He reached out a hand and stepped a little closer, so that they were almost touching. His head bent slightly, cocked on one side around hers, a gap still between them. They stood like two pieces of a puzzle waiting to be put together. **_

_**He laid one of his hands on the side of her face, his thumb brushing the top of her jaw line. And then the gap was closed. He kissed her very softly, on the lips and then on the corner of her mouth. She did not move, but remained totally still and silent.**_

"_**I have found you Imelda," he whispered, not moving his face away from hers. "And now, you have found me."**_

Imelda lay still for a long time, her face suddenly peaceful in sleep. Lucius sat silently beside her in the darkness, wondering what she was dreaming about.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Impossibilities

**I have no idea if anyone is that interested in this story, but if you are and you're reading it, then I'm sorry but I'll be In the States for two weeks from tomorrow and will consequently be separated from my laptop (GARRGH) and unable to type or upload. But the moment I return to the UK I shall get cracking again. Don't give up, I'LL BE BACK.**

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"Reuben, I need a word with you." Imelda nodded briefly at Lucius as he passed her in the corridor, and he nodded back. Once he had passed Mel tugged at Reuben's cloak and pulled her into an empty classroom.

"What is it Mel?" Reuben asked, confused as to why her friend was dragging her.

Mel peered around the door, surveying the corridor in both directions, and upon seeing that it was empty she closed it. She turned to Reuben and sighed.

"I need to ask you something."

Reuben nodded, intrigued. She moved some of the scattered, open books and perched on the edge of the table, clasping her hands in her lap.

Mel took a deep breath.

"I had a dream."

Reuben raised her eyebrows and sat silently for a few moments.

"Is that it?" she said, looking expectant.

"No." Mel's face colored slightly and she turned away, fiddling with a loose thread on the window drapes.

"It wasn't a normal dream."

Reuben sighed.

"Mel, I told you it was a bad idea to drink fire whisky before bed, it only induces goblins and trolls and plots to take over the world with the power puff girls in one's dreams."

"This isn't funny," Mel snapped, causing Reuben to flinch with her abruptness.

"I… sorry, Mel. Is something wrong?"

"Damned right something's wrong. It was Lucius Malfoy. He was in my dream. We were….. he kissed me."

Reuben froze where she sat.

"Go on," she murmured.

"That's not the worst part. The worst part was….I liked it. It felt… sort of right. He was very close, and when he touched my cheek I felt…. Well I wasn't angry or scared or anything. Just sort of content. And it felt so real too."

Reuben did not look at her. Mel was cradling a mug of hot tea and looked like she had zoned out.

Reuben cleared her throat.

"Er, Mel? You might want to put that mug down. I need to tell you something."

Imelda looked at Reuben, then at her mug, and then back at Reuben.

"Well go on then," she said, frowning slightly and still clutching the mug. Reuben sighed and closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Did it bother you that Malfoy knew how to disarm you?" she began. Imelda looked confused.

"Of course it did. He's the only one apart from myself and the high wizard who knows my real name- and the slimy git could do it at any time now he knows how. I just can't work out how he knew. Magnus would never have released that information to anyone, and I have never even said it out loud…" she stopped, seeing Reuben's expression.

"What?" she said, curious.

"Mel, he knew because… he had a dream too."

Imelda narrowed her eyes.

"What are you talking about?"

"Have you ever heard of the Syndraeraes?" Reuben asked, curling the sound of the word elegantly, as it was pronounced in the East. She winced as the mug hit the floor and smashed, little fragments of it brushing her feet.

"I'll take that as a yes then," she said, looking at the ceiling.

"Si bylol os sai," Mel whispered, standing perfectly still. "No, absolutely not. It can't be," she said matter of factly.

"Why?" Reuben asked quietly, folding her arms.

Mel's glare was fiery and cold at the same time.

"Because I hate him."

There was a silent pause, during which Reuben stood up from the table and went to stand by the window, glancing at her engagement ring. It did not go un-noticed by Imelda.

"Is Remus…. Does he know your name?"

Reuben looked up and nodded.

"Si bylol os sai," she whispered. "The joining of two."

"But…. So you had a dream, about him?" Imelda sounded panicky.

"I did. And it was, as you said, very real and very contented. He too had a dream, and had the sense to tell me rather than mentioning my name out loud. He chose not to disarm me, and to simply ask me instead."

Imelda snorted.

"Why is it so incomprehensible to you that Malfoy cannot be joined to you?" Reuben asked softly, her head on one side.

"Because he's not like Remus," Mel snapped. "Lucius Malfoy is not a cuddly gentleman, Reuben, he's a cold, vindictive death eater who wouldn't care if Hogwarts burned to the ground or we all died in our sleep. He doesn't care who he hurts, and he delights in the pain and misery of others. Plus, unlike Remus, he chose to use my name against me to weaken and control me."

"But he knew it, didn't he?" Reuben answered very quietly.

Imelda was silent. She knew her friend was right.

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"Professor Lupin? I wonder if I might have a word?" Lucius asked politely as Remus entered the staff common room. They were alone in the library section of the common room, the others either teaching or otherwise engaged.

"Er, of course," Lupin answered, slightly taken aback at the other man's behavior. "What is it?"

Lucius hesitated, turning the ring on his right hand.

"I… I had a strange dream a few nights ago, and I cannot seem to rid my mind of it. I ask you because you seem the type to understand, or rather know about that kind of thing."

Lupin was intrigued, and gestured for Lucius to continue. Lucius explained the dream, withholding only the part of it that revealed who the woman was, keeping Imelda's name out of the conversation. He did not say the Eastern words, and decided instead to save her the worry of a third person knowing how to disarm her. Not that Lupin would of course.

Remus stared at Malfoy thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. He then nodded.

"Are you familiar with many of the ways of the East?" he asked, crossing one leg over the other. Malfoy shook his head.

"Well what you have described sounds to me like the Syndraeraes," Lupin continued. It is an Eastern tradition, meaning 'together' in our language."

Malfoy looked none the wiser, so Lupin furthered his explanation.

"The Syndraeraes is the term for something called the 'Si bylol os sai,' or 'the joining of two.' It happens to Eastern witches and wizards, usually with someone who is not from the East. They are shown to each other in a dream, very vividly, as a sort of premonition," he said, wrinkling his nose at the last word.

"That sounded a bit cheesy- I hate the word premonition. It basically means, this dream of yours, that an Eastern witch- the one you saw, will one day be your wife, your family, your everything. You will be two that are joined by the Syndraeraes."

Lucius stood at the window, silent and still. He looked out over the grounds and the Forbidden Forest, remembering the dream in great detail. He could even feel her hand on his cheek.

"Are you sure?" he said very quietly.

"I am. Tell me, Lucius, did you see her face clearly? Who was she?"

Lucius did not turn around, but closed his eyes and gripped the window ledge. He could feel her lips, the softness of her skin as he touched it. And he wasn't sorry.

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**So like I said, see you in two weeks………..**


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